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PLEASANT DAY 
DIVERSIONS 



BY 

CAROLYN WELLS 




NEW YORK 

MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY 
1909 



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Copyright, 1909, by 
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY 

New York 



All Rights Reserved 



Published August, 1909 



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CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAGB 

I January Diversion — Gifts for a Baby 3 

II February Diversion — Valentines 10 

III March Diversion — Making Candy 19 

IV April Diversion — Easter Toys 28 

V May Diversion — A Dollys May Party 33 

VI June Diversion — A Graduate's Gift 41 

VII July Diversion — A Doll's Market 52 

VIII August Diversion — A Paper Doll's House. . 63 

IX September Diversion — A Doll's House 74 

X October Diversion — Hallowe'en Happen- 
ings 90 

XI November Diversion — An Ante-Christmas 

Gift loi 

XII December Diversion — Christmas Gifts 104 

XIII Games — i Automobile Checkers 113 

2 Game of Stunts. 120 

3 Game of Revolutionary War 127 

4 Game of Transportation 134 

XIV Monologue — Over the Baluster 144 

XV Musical Farce — Hilarity Hall 160 

XVI Operetta — The Princess Luliana 244 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 



JANUARY 



GIFTS FOR A BABY 

THE first requisites of a gift for a baby are 
bright color and softness, and noth- 
ing combines these so successfully as 
worsted balls. 
One way to make a worsted ball is to take two 
circular pieces of cardboard about four inches in 
diameter. Cut in the center of each a hole as 
large as a dime, and then thread a needle with 
a long piece of worsted. Have the worsted thread 
very long, and have it doubled. 

Lay the two pieces of cardboard together, and 
put the needle through the hole again and again, 
bringing it around the outer edge of the card- 
board until the worsted is all used up. Then 
thread your needle again, fasten the new worsted 
neatly to the old, and repeat the performance un- 

[3] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

til the hole is entirely filled up, and the card- 
board covered by a great puff of worsted. 

Now carefully slip one point of a pair of scis- 
sors through the worsted at the outer rim of the 
circles and between the two cards cut the worsted 
all around the edge. Then, separating the cards 
slightly, tie a strong, fine bit of twine between 
them and tightly round the worsted center. 

Then tear off the cardboards and the worsted 
will spring into shape making a round soft, 
fluffy ball. If need be, trim it a bit, here and 
there, with the scissors, to insure a true shape. 
The ball may be of one or two colors; or all 
colors may be used, making a bright, gay effect 
sure to please a baby of taste and judgment. 

Another way to make a worsted ball is to 
crochet in any close stitch a small circle, adding 
row on row until you have a round mat a couple 
of inches wide. As you proceed, narrow slightly 
each succeeding row until the crocheting puck- 
ers and forms a cup-like hemisphere. Into this 
put a ball of worsted, smoothly wound. Then 
complete the crocheted spherical cover for the 
ball, keeping it inside. Several of these may be 

[4] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

madej each of a different color, and about as 
large as a small peach. Then crochet a chain 
stitch string to each, and join the strings to- 
gether with a ribbon bow, or loops of worsted, 
thus making a bunch of balls. 

After color, for the baby's entertainment, 
comes sound, and his first introduction to me- 
chanical sounds is usually by means of a rattle. 

A pretty one may be made by buying a cheap 
tin rattle. Coyer it neatly with a layer of cotton 
batting, after which twist the handle with a satin 
ribbon — a striped one is prettiest — and cover the 
drum with the same colored ribbon put on 
smoothly and puckered at the ends, where it is 
finished by a tiny bow or rosette. 

Another rattle is made of tiny brass or nickel 
bells, each fastened to the end of a narrow rib- 
bon which is attached to an ivory or celluloid 
ring, or to the end of a ribbon wound stick. 

Quite as noisy as a rattle is a tambourine. This 
may be made by procuring a flat wooden hoop, or 
making a hoop of a strip of heavy pasteboard 
about an inch wide and fifteen inches long. 
Stretch a round piece of silk or satin over the 

[5] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

top and coyer the rim witli satin ribbon. At in- 
tervals attach tiny bells. 

Another toy is made by taking one of the small 
Japanese doll heads that may be found in any 
fancy work store, and fastening it securely to a 
stick about eight inches long. Then make a full 
puf£ of bright silk and arrange it like a blouse. 
Add a lace collar and a row of tiny bells, and un- 
less the stick is ornamental of itself, twine it 
with ribbons. 

Of all toys perhaps none is so dear to the in- 
fant heart as a rag doll. And the finest inhab- 
itant of rag dolldom it was ever my pleasure to 
meet was a gay individual named Harry. He 
was only one of many dozens which were turned 
out by a dear old lady of my acquaintance, who 
made them for all her own grandchildren, and 
all of her neighbors' grandchildren. These dolls 
were all exactly alike and were all named Harry. 

To make one, you must first cut from stout 
cotton cloth two pieces in the semblance of the 
human figure. Sew them together all around 
the edges except at the top of the head, where 

[6]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

an opening is left by which the doll is to be 
turned right side out. Stuff it with small rags. 

You may make the features on the rag face 
as artistic as you please. They may be drawn 
or painted, or indicated by stitches of silk or 
thread. This hero is then treated to a wig made 
from raveled wool that has been tightly knit. 
His costume, which in the original Harrys never 
varied, was a pair of red cashmere trousers, with 
stripes of gilt braid ; a blouse-like coat or round- 
about of blue cloth with gilt braid and tiny gilt 
buttons; a cocked hat made of black cloth, with 
a bit of a red feather, which was securely sewed 
to his head. His shoes were also of black cloth, 
shaped like his feet, and he had a wide white col- 
lar. What was the secret of his enormous and 
instantaneous success, I don't know^ but if you 
would make an infant superlatively happy, give 
him a Harry. 

A carriage pillow is beautifully made from 
two linen handkerchiefs. Select women's hand- 
kerchiefs, hemstitched, and with or without a 
tiny wreath of embroidery. Sew these together 
on three sides, having first let in a ruffle of sheer 

[7] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

nainsook embroidery. On the fourth side ar- 
range small buttons and buttonholes that the 
slip may easily be laundered. Make a pillow of 
cotton batting covered with pale colored China 
silk to slip into the case. 

A useful gift is a cape made of white cash- 
mere of very light weight. Out the garment cir- 
cular, with a little hood shaped like those seen 
on golf capes. Line both cape and hood with 
light blue China silk and sew blue ribbons at the 
neck. 

Eemember always that anything intended for 
a baby's use must be made of soft, fine materials 
and put together with scrupulous neatness. And 
although an excessive use of scent is not to be 
commended, yet a sprinkling of violet sachet 
powder or orris root enhances the effect of the 
small garments or trinkets. Indeed, a graceful 
gift is simply a few envelopes, decorated in any 
tasteful way, or having the baby's name written 
across them in gilt letters, filled with a piece of 
cotton wadding cut to fit and sprinkled with 
sachet powder. These may be sealed or tied up 

[8] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

with, a bit of ribbon, and are very pretty to lay 
among the baby's little clothes. 

A gift that requires time and patience, though 
it is not difficult to make, is a scrap rug. Get 
a large piece of heavy cloth about two yards 
square. A gray blanket may be chosen instead, 
or even a red one, if the baby has very gay tastes. 

Then cut out horses and pigs and chickens and 
the letters of the alphabet and birds and butter- 
flies and indeed any shapes you can think of, 
from turkey red calico and applique them to the 
blanket with buttonhole stitches. Or if you can 
find animals or other figures printed on calico 
or silk, cut them out and use them. Old-fash- 
ioned chintz or cretonne offers a variety of sub- 
jects. And a cat of plain turkey red may be 
made beautiful by features, claws and whiskers 
judiciously applied with a needle threaded with 
black embroidery silk. The edge of the blanket 
may be bound with scarlet ribbon, or if it is a 
square of cloth it may be lined and quilted and 
then bound. And when spread upon the floor 
for his majesty to romp on, he will pick out his 
favorite picture with shrieks of delight. 

[9] 



FEBRUARY 



HOME-MADE VALENTINES 

HALF the fun of valentines lies in the 
making of them. ^Way back in the 
days of our grandmothers, the quaint- 
ly folded missive with its spidery 
writing carried more true sentiment than the 
gorgeous machine made marvels of to-day. 

So why not return to the simpler fashion and 
make the pretty trifles that shall carry loving 
messages to our friends on the fourteenth of 
February? 

But to make really good valentines requires 
time, patience, and scrupulous neatness. Em- 
broidery may be slighted, sewing may be hurried, 
but paste work must be carefully done, or an un- 
sightly botch is the result. 

The nearest approach to the original lace pa- 
[10] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

per valentine may be made from the lace papers 
that are sold in the caterers^ shops to serve ices 
on. 

Or, if you have fortunately saved the lace pa- 
pers which have come to you in boxes of bon- 
bons, you will find them even more filmy and 
beautiful for this purpose. Let us suppose that 
you have one of the latter kind about four by 
five inches in size; such a one as comes on a 
pound box of candy. 

Take a sheet of thick, smooth writing paper, 
unruled, and cut it exactly the size of your lace 
paper. Then cut away one leaf of your writing 
paper, leaving, however, a margin one-eighth of 
an inch wide. On this fold paste the lace paper, 
being extremely careful that it fits exactly, and 
covers every speck of the writing paper. 

Now, if there is a dealer's name (as there 
usually is) in the middle of the lace paper, paste 
over it a "scrap picture" of flowers or birds or 
a cupid, or any other appropriate design. 

In the corners, or above and below, or either 
side of the central picture, paste tiny scrap pic- 
tures of flowers or birds or hearts. You may 

[11] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

use your own taste about placing the pictures, 
but do not put on too many, as the lace paper is 
ornamental of itself. 

If the lace paper seems too thin, line it with a 
pale blue or green tissue paper, plain, of course, 
not crinkled. 

Between the lace paper and the lining, you 
may place at each corner a circular piece of gold 
or silver paper cut the size of a penny. Or, as 
is often the case, if the lace paper is patterned 
in hearts or medallions, cut a gilt or silver or 
colored paper to match and paste it under the 
lace. 

If the lace is lined with colored paper, they 
must be carefully fastened together all round the 
edge, and also wherever the pictures are pasted 
on. 

On the inside, or writing paper page, a verse 
of poetry may be written. You can find charm- 
ing verses in old valentines, or you can hunt 
them up in books of quotations from the poets, or 
you may use some of these : 

True as strong and strong as true 
Is my earnest love for you. 

[12] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

'Tis the day the love birds mate ; 
Smile on me, and bless my fate. 

When Cupid's dart 
Shall strike your heart, 
Oh, may his arrow be 
This valentine from me 1 

Kerens a message, just a line, 
Will you be my valentine ? 

If you use the lace paper from the caterer's, 
you will find a large bit of plain paper in the 
center. This may be covered exactly with gilt 
paper, upon which a scrap picture may then be 
pasted. 

A pretty trick of the valentine makers is to 
raise the scrap picture from its background a 
trifle. This is done by mounting it upon a 
spring instead of pasting it down flat. A spring 
is a tiny bit of paper folded tightly in two or 
more creases. 

Out your paper a bit narrower than the picture 
it is to support, and three times as long as its 
own width. Then fold it forward and back as 
though for pleating, and crease it hard. Paste 
the outside of the top fold to the back of the 
picture and then paste the outside of the bottom 
fold firmly in place on the foundation paper. 

[131 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

There are other kinds of valentines that have 
no lace paper or springs about them. Some are 
made of cards, either plain or folded. A good 
foundation for a valentine is to take a fine Bris- 
tol board card four by eight inches in size, rag- 
ged edged or gilt edged, or with just a plain bevel 
edge, and make of it a little three part screen 
whose two outer leaves fold together over its 
middle one. To do this, turn it over, and on the 
back of it measure carefully one-quarter of its 
length from each end, and run lines across. 

With a dull knife score half way through 
the cardboard along the lines that mark the di- 
visions. This makes flexible leaves at each end. 
Then turn these leaves forward until they close 
over the center panel. Cut slits in the middle of 
the folding leaves, and thread a narrow ribbon 
in them, which may be tied round the whole af- 
fair when closed. With this beginning^ many a 
clever valentine can be contrived. 

For instance, if you have saved any four leaved 
clovers from last summer, paste one on the cen- 
ter panel and write underneath : 

[ 14 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

A little pressed leaf 

On this card I have stuck. 
To tell you, my friend, 
That I wish you Good Luck. 

Or, if you wish to confine yourself to the tra- 
ditional emblems, get some old fashioned candy 
hearts, the kind that have mottoes on them in 
tiny red letters. With a sharp awl make a hole 
in one corner and tie a heart to the center panel 
of your card by a bit of blue ribbon. Write un- 
der it the verse : 

I send to you this heart of mine. 
For I'm your own true Valentine. 

If the motto on the heart is not especially 
pretty, the heart may be gilded with gold paint. 
Then this verse may be used : 

Here's my heart as good as gold 
Bringing to you love untold. 

Instead of one, you may tie to the card two 
hearts side by side : 

These two hearts are yours and mine, 
If you'll he my Valentine. 

Or two tied with the same ribbon : 

Two hearts with but a single bond, 
Filled with fancies dear and fond, 

[ 15 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Of course, in this latter case the hearts should 
show the printed sentiments. 

Instead of writing the verses with pen and 
ink, they may be done with liquid gold paint and 
a fine brush or pen. Or colored inks or paints 
can be used. 

A humorous valentine may be made by past- 
ing a chestnut on a card, and writing above it 
"The same old'' and below "Will you be my val- 
entine?'' When you do this, split the chestnut 
first and stick the flat side to the card. 

A tiny arrow may be cut from cardboard, 
gilded, and tied to the card with the following 
lines : 

This smaU space is very narrow 
But it holds a cupid^s arrow; 
'Tis a symbol of Love's dart, 
May it pierce your loving heart. 

If your fair lady is perverse, paste a penny to 
your card and write : 

A penny for your thoughts, 

Not much, as you see; 
But I do not believe 

You are thinking of me. 

A valentine novelty which is easy to make is 
a queen of hearts selected from a pack of cards 

[16] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

(preferably the very small cards used for play- 
ing solitaire) and mounted on a pretty card. 
Sometimes two cards may be used for a mount, 
one a smaller one placed diamond wise on the 
other. 

These may be ragged edged or gilt edged cards, 
and the following couplet may be written or 
traced in gilt, with the queen of hearts pasted at 
the end of the couplet : 

Wounded by Cupid's gentle darts 
I turn to thee, my queen of hearts. 

Or an ace of hearts may be used, and a tiny 
arrow may be drawn or gilded as if piercing the 
heart. These card valentines are very easily 
made and often cause much merriment. 

A pretty little valentine that is also a useful 
gift is made by taking an ordinary envelope of 
thick, fine paper, and decorating it in any way 
that may occur to you. If you can paint, you 
may scatter sprays of forgetmenots, or violets all 
over it, or you can simply gild a border and a 
motto, or decorate it with a heart shape. Then 
cut a piece of cotton wadding, just a trifle 
smaller than the envelope. Split this and sprin- 

[17] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

kle with sachet powder, then lay the halves to- 
gether again and slip it in the envelope. Seal 
the envelope, and tie a white or violet ribbon 
round it, and you have a valentine that may be 
laid among handkerchiefs or gloves and serve as 
a pleasant reminder all the year round. 

Although you may not be an artist, there are 
many things you can do with a paint brush if 
you try. A small box of water color paints may 
be bought cheaply, and a bottle of liquid gold 
paint is also inexpensive. With these you may 
paint on an envelope or card valentine a flight 
of winged hearts in deep red and pale yellow — 
and write among them : 

Hearts have wings on St. Valentine's Day. 
They fly to each other from far away. 

The lettering may be done in gold or color. 

If you begin to make valentines many pretty 
fancies will suggest themselves to you, and many 
bits of material can be found in unexpected 
places. For instance, the silver papers that wrap 
the little "chocolate bricks" sold at the railway 
stations, or in the slot machines, can be smoothed 

[18]: 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

out by rolling a lead pencil over them^ and then 
they are very useful under your lace papers. 

The gilt or silver ornaments that come on 
tarlatan or fine muslin may be obtained from 
many drygoods merchants. The lace paper which 
is found in the edges of candy boxes or boxes of 
toilet soap can be used in various ways. 



[19] 



MARCH 



HOME-MADE CANDIES 

WHEN the March winds are blowing 
so hard that there is really no 
pleasure in going out of doors, why 
not stay in the house and make 
candy? To begin with you must provide your- 
self with the sugar that is known as confection- 
ers' XXX sugar. 

If your local grocer does not keep this, ask 
him to get a few pounds for you. It is not any 
more expensive than other sugars and may be 
bought at any large grocery. 

However, if you cannot get confectioners^ 
sugar, you need not give up your candy, as 
ordinary powdered sugar may be used, though 
the results are not so good. 

Supposing, then, that you have the right kind 
[20] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

of sugar^ provide yourself also with some Eng- 
lish walnuts, cracked and picked out without 
breaking; some almonds, cracked and blanched, 
and, by the way, If you do not know how to 
blanch almonds, I will stop right here and tell 
you. 

Place the shelled almonds in a bowl and cover 
them with 'boiling water. Let them stand about 
five minutes, then pour off the water, and you 
will find that you can easily remove the brown 
skins, leaving white or blanched almonds. 

If you want a great many kinds of candy you 
can also have in readiness a cocoanut grated, a 
bottle of essence of peppermint, a cake of un- 
sweetened chocolate, some dates, raisins, and 
figs. 

And now to get to work at all these good 
things. 

Into a good sized earthen bowl put the white 
of one egg. With a silver or wooden spoon stir 
this about a little and then add a cupful of your 
confectioners' sugar. But do not dump it all in 
at once; add it gradually, sprinkling in a little 
at a time and stirring all the while. 

[21] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

You must have also in readiness half a cupful 
of orange juice, sqeezecl and strained. Now take 
another cupful of sugar and add this and the 
orange juice alternately to your mixture, beat- 
ing it hard at the same time. Now if it is a thick 
soft paste, it is done, but if it is too soft to mold 
into a ball, you must add more sugar. If you 
get it too stiff, you can add a little more orange 
juice, but test it by making a tiny ball, and use 
the paste just as soft as possible, for it hardens 
slightly after it is finished. 

This cream that you have made is called fon- 
dant, and is used as a foundation for many va- 
rieties of candy. 

First you may make some of it up into balls 
about the size of a hickory nut. Then take the 
two halves of an English walnut and press one 
on each side of your cream ball. These are 
cream walnuts, and are one of the most satisfac- 
tory kinds of candy to make. 

Next, make up some of your fondant into oval 
rolls about an inch long. Take a date from which 
the seed has been removed and wrap the opened 
date round the cream roll, so that a strip of the 

[22] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

white candy shows down one side of the date. 
Smaller candies may be made by treating raisins 
in the same manner. 

Creamed almonds are made by taking a 
blanched almond^ placing it in a small bit of 
fondant, and then rolling it round in your hands 
until the nut is entirely covered and you have a 
smooth, round ball. Hazelnuts may be covered 
in the same way. 

In fact, your own ingenuity will suggest many 
varieties of these creamed candies, as almost any 
fruit or nut may be used, or a bit of citron or fig 
or preserved ginger. 

Another simple and very satisfactory bonbon 
is the chocolate cream drop. 

Eoll your fondant into tiny balls with your 
finger tips, and lay them aside on a plate. Now 
place a cupful of unsweetened chocolate, shaved 
with a knife into small shreds, in a saucepan and 
melt it over a moderate fire. When it is melted, 
set the saucepan in a bowl of very hot water to 
keep the chocolate soft, and with a fork roll your 
cream balls in it until they are thoroughly 
coated. Do them one at a time, remove them 

[23] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

carefully with the fork and place on tin pans to 
dry. The tins need not be greased, as the choco- 
late will not stick. 

If you are fond of chocolate covered confec- 
tions, nearly all of the kinds I have told you 
about above may be dipped in melted chocolate. 
Be sure to let them drip well before you transfer 
them to the tins. 

Now, of course, all the candy we have talked 
of so far is slightly flavored with orange. If you 
like a stronger orange flavor, add some grated 
orange rind, but if you prefer other flavors there 
are many at your disposal. 

Coffee flavoring is very good, and for this use 
half a cupful of clear weak coffee instead of the 
orange juice. 

Or if vanilla is desired, put two teaspoonfuls 
of vanilla in a cup and add clear cold water until 
the cup is half full. 

To make cream peppermints use a half cup 
of water containing one or two teaspoonfuls of 
essence of peppermint, according as you like the 
flavor, weak or strong. Then roll out your fon- 
dant as if it were dough for cookies, and with 

[24] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the top of a salt shaker, or the end of an apple 
corer, cut out tiny round cakes. The scraps that 
are left can be kneaded up^ rolled out and cut 
again until it is all used. These are particularly 
good when dipped in the melted chocolate, and 
are a close imitation of the bought candy. 

Nougat may be made by chopping together any 
kinds of fruit and nuts and mixing them with 
an equal quantity of soft fondant. Knead this 
into a flat cake about an inch thick and cut into 
strips and then crossways into cubes, 

Oocoanut balls are made in the same way. Stir 
grated cocoanut into your fondant, roll into 
small balls and, if you wish, dip into melted 
chocolate. 

For cocoanut cakes have your fondant very 
soft, stir in some grated cocoanut, and ladle it 
out by spoonfuls on a greased tin pan. It must 
be soft enough to settle into flat cakes. 

There are many kinds of candy that are not 
made from fondant, and some of the best are 
made of brown sugar, but not the light brown 
sugar which the grocers call sugar. Ask for 

[25] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the darkest brown, a sugar that is almost black, 
and very moist and sticky. 

Take one and one-half pounds of this dark 
brown sugar, mix with it a piece of butter about 
the size of an egg, and a cupful of milk. Cook 
this mixture until it is very thick, then take it 
from the fire and beat it with a wooden spoon 
until it is cool, almost cold. Then add a large 
cupful of black walnut meats, chopped small and 
sprinkled with salt. Spread this half an inch 
thick on a greased tin and cut into small squares. 
Any other nuts will do, but are not so good as 
black walnuts. 

Another good candy very easy to make is called 
"fudge.'' Into a saucepan put one quarter pound 
of unsweetened chocolate cut into small bits, Wo 
cups of granulated sugar, one small cup of milk 
and a bit of butter as large as an egg. Also a 
teaspoonful of vanilla extract. After this mix- 
ture begins to boil, boil it exactly seven minutes, 
stirring it all the time. Then remove from the 
fire and beat it until it is cold. Pour it into 
greased tins, leaving it about a quarter of an 
inch thick, and cut it into squares. 

[26] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

To make peanut brittle^ boil a quart of New 
Orleans molasses for half an hour, stirring it all 
the time. Then add a half teaspoonful of baking 
soda. Test the candy by dropping a little into a 
cup of cold water. If it grows hard and brittle 
at once, it is done. Add the juice of a half lemon 
and then stir in all the shelled peanuts it will 
hold. Pour this mixture into a greased tin and 
with the other half of the lemon smooth it out 
into a very thin sheet. 

Finally, here is a very good receipt for choco- 
late caramels. One cup of chocolate, shaved thin 
or grated ; one cup of molasses ; one cup of sugar 
(brown preferred) ; one half cup of milk; one 
quarter cup of butter ; mix all well together and 
boil for a half hour or so until it hardens in cold 
water. Stir all the time. When done, pour into 
buttered tins, and when partly cool, mark off, 
with a knife, into squares. 

These candies, especially the cream candies, 
make very acceptable birthday gifts or luncheon 
favors. 



[27] 



APRIL 



EASTER TOYS 

EASTER is so ancient a festival that it re- 
quires a good deal of ingenuity to plan 
new decorations for it. Our grand- 
mothers exhausted the possibility of 
novelty in the dyed egg, and long before our 
grandmothers the little pagans of Greece and 
Rome played with eggs at the time of their year- 
ly festival. 

Still, neither the girls and boys of Rome and 
Greece nor those of the early Christian days 
would have known how to manufacture an egg 
Humpty Dumpty such as Alice saw in her visit to 
Wonderland. Alice and her friends are compara- 
tively new even if Easter eggs are not. 

Boil the egg for twenty minutes. Then paint 
a face on the upper half, representing a collar 

[28] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

and cravat with, white paper, and silk or ribbon. 
The arms and hands must be drawn on paper 
and then cut out and pasted on the egg at the 
proper place. They may have tissue paper 
sleeves. For the feet, get a pair of tiny doll's 
shoes, and put them on legs of twisted paper. 
Both arms and legs will be more manageable if 
a fine wire is used for their foundation. 

Humpty Dumpty ought to be perched on some- 
thing representing a wall, and a box of candy 
may be painted like brick or stone for this pur- 
pose. 

Instead of hard boiled eggs you may use blown 
eggs, or egg shells. To prepare these you may 
make a pinhole at each end of an egg and force 
the contents out at one end by blowing in at the 
other. But this is a difficult and uncertain 
method, and an easier way is to make a hole the 
size of a pea at one end and gently shake out the 
yolk and white through the hole. After it is 
empty wash the egg shell by rinsing it many 
times with cold water, and then leave it to drain 
until it is thoroughly dry. 

Prepare what is called confetti by cutting up 
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PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

tissue paper into bits as small as yon possibly 
can. Scent these by spraying them slightly with 
perfumery. Then stuff a clean dry egg shell as 
full as it will hold of confetti^ and coyer the hole 
in the end with a bit of gilt paper, or one of the 
red or green seals such as are used on legal docu- 
ments. Decorate the egg otherwise in any way 
you wish, and when the time comes to use it, say 
to your victim, ^^Now I am going to crush this 
egg right over your head, and it is not a hard 
boiled egg, either.'' The shower of scented pa- 
per, instead of the dreaded raw egg, will be a 
very welcome surprise. 

Instead of paper, the egg shells may be filled 
with tiny candies or comfits, and sealed up as 
before. These are appropriate for gifts or for 
children's parties. 

A funny little toy is called a Tombola^ and is 
made by painting a face on an empty egg shell. 
In this case the hole should be made in the small 
end, which is the top of the head. Into the shell 
drop about a teaspoonful of small shot, and then 
pour in some melted wax. Let this harden and 
the shot will be safely secured in the large end of 

[30] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the egg. Then seal up the hole at the top^ and 
glue over it a little round cap of red flannel. The 
Tombola, if stood on his cap, or laid on his ear, 
will immediately restore himself to his proper 
position. 

A very pretty toy^ but one which requires much 
care and patience to make, is an egg shell tea set. 
The teapot is made from an egg shell set upright 
and fastened to a button mold base. The spout 
is made of paper twisted like a lamp lighter, and 
the handle of a narrow strip of stiff paper or thin 
cardboard glued to their respective positions. 
The cover is designated by a line of ink or paint, 
and a glass bead is glued on at the top. 

The cream pitcher is made from a smaller egg 
shell, with base and handle the same^, but with 
a spout of paper formed like the spout of a 
pitcher. For the pitcher, the top of the egg must 
be neatly cut off, and the edge bound with a strip 
of gilt paper carefully pasted on. The sugar bowl 
is like the teapot, but smaller, and with a handle 
on each side, and no spout. 

If desired, cups may be made of birds' eggs or 
[31] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

bantam's eggs, like the pitcher, but without a 
spout. All the button mold standards must be 
gilded, and the whole set decorated with gilt or 
color. 



[32] 



MAY 



A DOLL'S MAY PARTY 

ALTHOUGH the first of May is not al- 
ways a pleasant day for a picnic in the 
woods, a May party such as I am going 
to tell you about is never affected by 
the weather. First you must get a wooden box, 
about three by four feet in size, and about four 
or five inches deep. 

Fill this box nearly full of white beach sand. 
If you cannot get white sand, brown sand will 
do, or even ordinary earth. 

Now plan out paths across the sand, and cover 
the rest neatly and closely with green moss 
brought from the woods. Trim the edges of the 
moss smoothly, so that the paths will be nicely 
shaped. Pack the sand down hard in the paths, 
and if you have a quantity of small pebbles, lay 
them along the edges of the paths. 

[33] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Select your prettiest moss for the playground 
in the center, and in the middle of it raise your 
May pole. This is made of a round stick about 
twelve inches long, and twisted with gay colored 
ribbons, put on smoothly like the stripes of a 
barber pole. 

Next make a ring of wire, six inches in dia- 
meter. Wind this also with ribbon, and suspend 
it from the top of the pole by fastening six rib- 
bons to it at equal distances, and fastening the 
other ends of the ribbons to the top of the pole. 
If the ribbons are four inches long, the circle 
will hang gracefully from the pole. Then add 
six ribbons to hang from the hoop to the ground. 
The ribbon should be about three-eighths of an 
inch wide, and it may be tacked to the top of 
the pole with a single small tack, which will 
hold all six of the ribbons. Where the ribbons 
join the wire hoop they must be sewed. Plant 
the May pole firmly in the center of the moss, 
letting it go down through the sand as well. If 
it is not perfectly firm, fasten it with a nail 
driven into it up through the bottom of the box. 

Next we will consider the pond. This may be 
[34] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

made in two ways. Perhaps the prettier way 
is to use a piece of looking glass either oval or 
of irregular shape. Sink it pretty well into the 
moss^ and lay some tiny bits of moss around the 
glass to cover the edge. On this pond may be 
placed toy ducks or swans, but if you want to 
have a boat, you must make a pond of real 
water. 

To do this, sink a flat bowl or tin pan into 
the moss and sand until the rim can be covered 
by the edges of the moss. Cover the bottom of 
the pan Avith pebbles and sand, and fill the pan 
with water. Then set a toy boat afloat on it, 
and tie it to a stake at the side of the pond ; and 
place on the pond wooden ducks or swans that 
will float. 

In another corner of the grounds you may 
build a summer house or rustic arbor. For rus- 
tic work, the prettiest material to use is Norway 
spruce; dry the branches well and the green 
needles will all drop off, leaving beautiful bare 
twigs. Of these, all kinds of rustic seats and 
arbors may be constructed. 

For a simple arbor, make two arches of the 
[35] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

spruce twigs, and set them up about four inches 
apart. Then join them by more twigs, put on 
liorizontally and fastened to the arches at each 
end. Weave this all in and out with bits of 
asparagus fern, and the result is a lovely little 
arbor. 

A more elaborate summer house can be made 
by making six or eight arches of the spruce 
twigs. Fasten the sides of the arches together, 
two and two, thus forming a round house. Make 
a roof by fastening a twig to the top point of 
each arch, and bringing them all together in 
the center (like the top of the May pole), and 
then interlace asparagus green all around the 
twigs. 

Eustic chairs and settees mav be made, and 
dotted around the grounds wherever you please. 
These seats are not very stable, but if a piece 
of a hairpin is fastened inside of the twig that 
forms each leg, they will be strong enough for 
dolls to sit on. 

For a chair take a bit of gold or silver per- 
forated cardboard about an inch square. Put a 
piece of twig on each side of this, forming a sort 

[36] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

of frame around it, and sewing it over and over 
with light brown silk. Do not let the stitches 
show more than is necessary. This makes the 
seat; next fasten a piece of twig at each corner 
for a leg, sewing it firmly to the seat. 

The back may be any graceful shape your 
fancy may suggest. Two twigs crossed like an 
X, or a twig bent round into a circle, may be fas- 
tened in place, and if you choose you can add 
arms at the sides. A settee is made like a chair, 
but with the seat oblong instead of square. 

Trees may be provided in various ways. You 
may use the ready-made trees, such as are found 
in ^^Noah's Arks,'' or you may get well shaped 
bits of evergreen, and, by the way, if you care 
for a hedge along the back of your grounds, 
small branches of arbor vitse make the best kind 
of a one. Lovely trees can be made from two or 
three branchy twigs of Norway spruce (bare) 
and foliage of asparagus fern tied on in bunches. 

Still other trees can be formed with twisted 
wire for trunks and branches; then cover the 
trunks with dark brown tissue paper, and for 
leaves cut green tissue paper into coarse fringe, 

[37] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

crinkle it up, and sew or glue it to the branches. 

Other decorations may be made by painting 
a good sized pill box to look like a green tub. 
Paint the box dark green, with two black bands 
around it; fill it with sand or earth, and plant 
in it a flowering plant made of large green tis- 
sue paper leaves, and bright blossoms. 

A whole flower bed may be made, if you 
choose, in this manner. Construct a flower gar- 
den from an oval mound of sand. Plant it full 
of, say, tulips. Each plant must have two or 
three long, narrow leaves made of green tissue 
paper, and a bright red or yellow flower. 

These flowers need not be made with great 
care. Take a long, narrow strip of tissue paper, 
fold it many times, and then cut the top in a 
rounded point. When opened this will appear 
like a long strip of scallops. Tear off a piece 
containing five or six of these scallops, and roll 
it loosely into the semblance of a flower. Twist 
up the bottom of it and fasten it to a wire stem, 
which stick into the flower bed to represent a 
tulip. Tiny flowers may also be stuck into the 
green of the arbor with good effect. 

[38] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

A hammock is easily made, and may be slung 
between two trees, if the trees are made strongly 
and are well planted in the sand. Take a piece 
of red ribbon about two and a half inches wide 
and five inches long. Make a hem in each end, 
and through the hems run little sticks of wood 
(matches will do), letting the ends come out 
slightly beyond the silk. To these ends tie two 
red cords, making little grooves in the wood, 
that the cords may not slip off. 

Another contrivance is an "old oaken bucket." 
A pasteboard or wooden box about two inches 
square, and without top or bottom, must be 
painted to resemble a w^ell curb made of rough 
boards. At the side of this stick into the moss 
and sand a pole that will rise about eight inches 
above ground. This pole must be branched like 
a Y at the top, to admit another stick, which 
must be fastened by a pin put through like a 
rivet. To one end of this stick tie a small stone, 
and from the other hang a tiny bucket. 

A swing is simply made by two upright sticks, 
a crosspiece at the top, and a swing of heavy 
twine, or silk cord, with a board fastened to it 

[39] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

After you have played with this summer scene 
until you are tired of it, an entire change may 
be effected by taking away the May pole, chang- 
ing the carriage to a sleigh, and dressing the 
dolls in winter attire. Then sift flour lightly 
over all, and you have a snow scene, the very 
sight of which makes you shiver. 



[ 40 ]: 



JUNE 



A GIRL'S GIFT TO A GIRL 
GRADUATE 

A SMALL friend of mine, who has seen 
several successive sisters graduated, 
has taken a great deal of delight on 
each commencement occasion in sum- 
ming up the gifts received by the "sweet girl 
graduate/' And these gifts my wise young 
friend always divides into what she calls 
"flowers'^ and "material presents/' 

Some years ago the baskets and bunches of 
flowers far outnumbered the "material pres- 
ents/' but recently it is becoming the custom to 
make the commencement gift a more lasting 
souvenir. 

Although ornaments and trinkets are often 
given, books find decided favor in the eyes of 

[41] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the recipient. And a most delightful, and al- 
ways welcome, gift is the book I am going to 
tell you about, which, besides being acceptable 
on its own merits, may be the handiwork of a 
friend of the girl graduate. 

It is intended as a "Memorabilia,'^ or scrap- 
book of the past school or college life, and may 
be as plain or as elaborate as the maker chooses. 

First you must get a blank book, and here you 
may exercise your own taste and judgment. It 
may be handsomely bound, with gilt edges, or 
be plain and unpretentious. A good plan is to 
get a regular "scrapbook,'' as then if dried 
flowers or other bulky articles are inserted the 
covers will not bulge nor be disfigured. If, how- 
ever, you decide to use an ordinary blank book, 
it is well to cut out groups of four or six leaves 
at intervals, and so achieve the same result. 

If you have an average amount of artistic 
talent proceed to design on the outside of the 
cover the title of the book, which is, "A Day in 
June.'^ 

This may be gilded or painted on the book 
[42] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

cOTer, or it may be done on a paper label which 
can then be carefully pasted on. 

Another plan is to cover the book very neatly 
with plain gray linen, or with silk, on which the 
title may have been embroidered or painted. 
Then open the book, and leaving one or two 
blank ^^fly-leaves/' place the title again in the 
middle of the next page. All of the lettering 
may be done in simple script, or in any more 
elaborate fashion of which you may be capable. 
The title may be inclosed in a floral or conven- 
tional border, if you wish. 

On the next leaf (all the contents should be 
on the right-hand pages only) arrange a decora- 
tion that shall contain a blank space large 
enough to hold a cabinet photograph, and an- 
other small blank space for an autograph. 
These are intended to hold the picture and name 
of the recipient of the book, and below them may 
be written or engrossed the following quotation : 

^^An unlesson'd girl, unschooM, unpractised; 
Happy in this, she is not yet so old 
But she may learn.'' — Shakespeare. 
[43] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

If you can draw a little, or if you have some 
artist friend who will assist you, the next page 
may be made very attractive. In the middle 
place the quotation : 

•^^The world is so full of a number of things, 
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings." 
— Robert Louis Stevenson. 

Around this make marginal sketches of books, 
fans, flowers, teacups, pictures, a bicycle, a boat, 
a banjo, a golf stick, or any special hint of the 
recreation your friend is most fond of. 

The next page is devoted to a picture of the 
schoolhouse or the college buildings. Leave a 
good-sized blank space, and around it have a 
wreath of leaves, or a framelike decoration of 
any kind, and under it a small space where the 
name of the building may be written. If you 
prefer, you can paste in the photograph of the 
schoolhouse yourself; or you may leave that to 
be done by the future owner of the book. Under 
this design write : 

^^Still sits the schoolhouse by the road." 

— Whittier. 
[44] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

The next page is planned for photographs of 
the teachers. Arrange a group of bordered 
spaces for as many photographs as the graduate 
has favored teachers, and use this quotation: 

"I count myself in nothing else so happy, 
As in a soul remembering my good friends/^ 

— Shakespeare. 

Next arrange a page for the teachers' auto- 
graphs. This may be merely a series of lines 
indicating a place for each name. A pretty bor- 
der should surround the whole, and beneath may 
be this line: 

"Taught thee each hour one thing or other." 

— Shakespeare. 

Next a large blank for the "class photograph.'' 
This should have a graceful floral border and the 
legend beneath: 

"A bevy of fair women." — Milton. 

Then a page for the autographs of the class 
[45] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

members, with the following or any other apt 
quotation : 

companions 
That clo converse and waste the time together, 
Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love. 

— Shakespeare. 

Next arrange a space where may be displayed 
the class colors. These may be painted in, or 
bits of ribbon may be sewed or pasted in place. 
A pretty conceit is to sketch a flag-pole, and at 
the top attach a tiny silk flag representing the 
chosen colors: 

"Thoughts, master, are masked under such 
colors.^' — Shakespeare. 

The next page contains the class motto. For 
a change, put the quotation at the top of this 
page: 

"The motto, thus^ .-^ — Shakespeare. 

Then comes the class flower. In the space for 
this, leave room for a pressed flower, or a painted 

[46] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

representation of it. For this page the following 
quotation will serve: 

^^Hast thou the flower there?'' — Shakespeare. 

Now a page for the "class yell." If the "yelP' 
is a musical one draw a staff and represent the 
requisite notes on it. If it is simply a spoken 
jargon print it in bright colors, with comic il- 
lustrations of heads apparently screaming with 
all their might, or any other funny conceit that 
may occur to you. If faces are beyond your skill 
a crowing hen is a humorous idea. Write be- 
low either of these two lines : 

"With timorous accent and dire yell.'' 

— Shakespeare. 

"I should think your tongue had broken its 
chain." — Longfellow. 

On the next page leave a large space for 
"Grinds." Schoolgirls always have plenty of 
these. A jester's stick with cap and bells would 

[47] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

be a most appropriate decoration, and the quota- 
tion might be : 

^^A college joke to cure the dumps.'' 

— Dean Swift. 

On the next page is to be pasted a copy of the 
Class-Day Program. As the size of this is uncer- 
tain, you may content yourself with tiny decora- 
tions in the corners of the page, and the line : 

"To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time." 

— Shakespeare. 

Next comes a space for a simple bit of the com- 
mencement gown. If this is of the traditional 
white muslin a charming effect may be arranged 
by encircling it with a decoration of tiny flowers, 
gloves, slippers, lace handkerchiefs, and any ac- 
cessories of the costume. Or if the graduate be- 
longs to one of the colleges in which the cap and 
gown is worn a Portia-like maiden may be de- 
signed and literally dressed in a black silk gown 
and mortarboard. Use this quotation: 

[48] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

^^and in a college gown. 
That clad her like an April daffodilly." 

— Tennyson. 

Then a page may be arranged for newspaper 
clippings. As these, like the program, are an 
uncertain quantity, have a slight decoration, say 
a corner sketch of ink-bottle and quills, or a pair 
of clipping shears and a paste-pot. Then quote : 

"Praise me not too much. 
Nor blame me, for thou speakest to the Greeks, 
Who know me." — Bryant^s Homer^s Iliad. 

If other subjects occur to you, of course they 
may be added at will. Then on the last page 
write either of the following quotations: 

"Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever ; 
Do noble things, not dream them, all day long." 

— Charles Kingsley. 

"The child is a woman, the book may close over. 
For all the lessons are said." — Jean Ingelow. 

Any girl who may wish to make such a book as 
I have described, and yet put the least possible 

[49] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

expense and time on it, may succeed in her de- 
sire by omitting the art work entirely. Inclose 
the blanks for photographs, autographs, etc., in 
plain straight lines, carefully and neatly drawn ; 
write the quotations with no attempt at fancy 
letters, and you will still have an acceptable 
gift-book and one that cannot fail to please. 

On the other hand, you who wish to elaborate 
on my description may easily do so by adding 
illuminated borders, full-page sketches, large 
and handsome initial letters, and all the embel- 
lishments that may occur to you. You may also 
write poems on alternate leaves. A good one 
for this purpose is Eobert Browning's stanza 
from "Pippa Passes,'^ beginning : 

"The year's at the spring 
And day's at the morn; 
Morning's at seven ; 
The hillside's dew-pearled; 
The lark's on the wing; 
The snail's on the thorn : 
God's in His Heaven- 
All's right with the world !'^ 
[50] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Others are Sidney Lanier's "A Song of the 
Future/' Samuel Eogers's "The Old School- 
house/' Charles Kingsley's "A Farewell/' and 
James Whitcomb Eiley's "A Life-Lesson." 

Of course, in the choice of all the quotations, 
and in the style of decoration, you should be 
guided by the tastes of the girl for whom the 
book is intended, using quotations from her 
favorite authors. 

But in whatever way the scheme is carried out, 
the result is almost certain to be a "material 
present" that will give more satisfaction than a 
basket-load of flowers, because of the love and 
thought which it will evidence. 



[51] 



JULY 



A DOLL'S MARKET 

A PLEASANT July afternoon is a most 
appropriate time to hold a doll mar- 
ket, and a goodly sum of money may 
be realized for charitable or other ob- 
jects by the sale of beautiful, novel, or comical 
dolls. 

You may arrange your market out of doors, 
like a garden party, with tents or booths in 
which to display your wares, or you may utilize 
a piazza or vine-clad veranda for the purpose. 

If money making is your object, ask every one 
of your friends to give you a doll — any kind of a 
doll — elaborate or inexpensive, dressed or des- 
titue of clothing. To clothe the undressed ones 
is part of the fun, and after that is done you 
may manufacture the queer dolls which are de- 

[52] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

scribed later, and then you are ready to hold 
your market. 

First come the regular dolls. These need no 
description, but it is wise to have a full stock 
of bisque, wax, and china ones, prettily dressed 
in silks, gay wools, or prints. Dolls with hats 
and coats often sell better than those with only 
dresses, and the plainest doll will prove desir- 
able if she have a waterproof or golf cape, or 
even a pair of rubbers. 

Baby dolls are salable, and are easy to dress. 
Be^sure to give each of them a little cap and 
blanket, and fasten a rattle or toy in its hands. 
Boy dolls are harder to dress, and are not quite 
so popular as girl dolls. So, though it is wise 
to have a few of them in your market, do not 
provide an overstock. Sailor boys are favorites 
just now, and a uniform can be made by copying 
the pictures in illustrated papers. 

And now for novelty dolls. One that is es- 
pecially nice for very little folks is the doll made 
of cotton wadding. Get a sheet of white cotton 
wadding, and also one of blue. Cut a strip 
seven inches wide the full length of the sheet. 

[53] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Beginning at one end, roll this smoothly into a 
tight, compact roll. This seven inch long wad 
is your doll. 

About an inch from the top of the roll tie 
a thread, drawing it tight enough to represent 
the neck of the doll. Of course the portion 
above the thread is the head. On this head sew 
two tiny black beads for eyes, and a red stitch 
for the mouth. Other features are left to the 
imagination. From the bottom of the roll, and 
half way, make across the front a series of cross* 
stitches with blue yarn, and tie the ends in a 
bow at the top. 

Now cut a piece of blue wadding six inches 
by nine. This is the dolPs cloak, and the six 
inch measurement is the length of it. Fold the 
piece into a box pleat three inches broad. This 
means that the whole width of nine inches is 
used, the pleat itself being three and the turned 
under parts each forming a one and a half inch 
tuck. This is simpler to do than to explain. It 
merely means to make one broad box pleat, using 
all the material to do it. 

Place the middle of the box pleat at the back 
[54] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

of the dolPs neck and it will come to her feet 
(only, of course, she hasn't any feet). The 
cloak does not fasten together in front at the 
neck, but comes nearly all the way around, and 
the edges fall down in a straight fold. 

Now take a bit of white wadding five inches 
long by one inch wide. Fold thisi lengthwise 
until you have a strip a third of an inch wide. 
Put this through a little muff made of blue wad- 
ding. This is easily done by wrapping a piece 
of blue wadding an inch wide round the mid- 
dle of your white strip. Then place the muff 
in front of your cloaked doll and thrust the ends 
of the white strip through the front tucks of 
the cloak, joining and sewing them behind. 
The white bands represent the dolPs arms. 

The hood is made of blue wadding. Cut a 
triangle five inches high and four inches across 
the base. From the top point sew it together 
with over and over stitches of blue yarn until 
within an inch of the lower points. Then fold 
under or cut off the lower points, and continue 
your yarn stitches down each edge. Sew this 

[55] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

hood on the dolPs head, and pick out the cotton 
at the top of the roll to look like curly hair. 

For a cape, cut a semicircle of blue wadding, 
about five inches across, and overcast it with the 
dark blue yarn. Eun a shirr string of yarn 
along the straight edge of this, leaving a tiny 
ruffle at the top, and then tie it round the dolPs 
neck. 

Of course, any colored yarn or worsted may 
be used, and the dolls may be made larger or 
smaller as you choose. 

Another soft doll for very little folks is made 
of white knitting cotton. Wind off a whole ball 
of this cotton on a large book or pasteboard. 

Slip a strong white string between the cotton 
and the book, and tie it tightly at the top, draw- 
ing the cotton together as close as possible. Then 
cut all the strands at the other end and remove 
the book. 

Separate about fifty strands and tie the rest 
about an inch below the first tying. This makes 
the neck of the doll, and the strands left out may 
be braided in one or two braids and tied at the 

[56] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ends with baby ribbon. This represents the 
dolPs hair, and may be cut to any length. 

Two inches below the neck tie again for the 
waist, but omit a small bunch of the cotton on 
each side. 

These bunches are for arms, and must be tied 
at the shoulders with bows of baby ribbon, and 
again at the wrists. Cut the strands a little be- 
low the wrists, leaving only enough to simulate 
hands. 

Tie a sash of slightly wider ribbon round the 
waist, and indicate the features with beads or 
stitches, and your doll is finished. A bow or a 
little cap of any kind may be sewed to the top 
of its head. 

Clothes pin dolls may be made much more at- 
tractive than their lowly associations would 
seem to suggest. Take an ordinary clothes-pin, 
a new one, and carefully mark a face as well as 
you can on its rather small head. 

Dress it as a baby doll, with a long white 
dress, a blanket or cape (which will conceal its 
armlessness), and a tiny white cap. If pre- 
ferred, these clothes may be made of crinkly tis- 

[57] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

giue paper^ plain white, of course, instead of 
muslin. 

A funny toy is the peanut doll. He is Chinese 
in his effect, and is made of thirteen peanuts. 
String three peanuts. The top one is the head. 
String four strands of two peanuts each. Fas- 
ten to each side of the center of the middle one 
of the first three peanuts a strand of two. These 
represent arms. Fasten the two remaining 
strands of two to the bottom of the lowest of 
the original three. These are legs. To each leg 
attach a peanut at right angles, to represent feet. 
Use a large needle and black linen thread in 
stringing. All the nuts will swing loosely, as 
the peanut man is by no means a firmly built 
creature. 

On top of his head sew or glue a long black 
queue made of braided strands of coarse black 
thread. On top of this, glue a hat made simply 
of a circular piece of gay wall paper as large 
as a silver dollar. 

For clothing take a Japanese paper napkin. 
Cut out two trouser legs, seam them up, and 
sew them in place. Cut a simple blouse or shirt 

[58] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

from the Japanese napkin and gather it loosely 
round his neck. This blouse should come down 
to his knees. 

For a jolly little ^^Brownie'' doll, take for a 
body an English walnut, and for a head a hazel- 
nut. Add legs and arms of twisted wire cov- 
ered with twisted tissue paper, and place on his 
head a tiny cap of red flannel. In his hand fas- 
ten (by bending the wire around it) a small 
flag. 

Similar to this is the macaroni doll. This is 
made by bending three hairpins and running 
them through bits of macaroni. This absurd 
puppet may have features marked on his mac- 
aroni face and may be as gaily attired as one 
pleases. 

A clay pipe makes a delightful old lady doll. 
The little hump where the bowls joins the stem 
is her nose, and her other features must be 
drawn to harmonize with this. A Quaker bon- 
net or high backed cap covers the rest of the 
bowl, which is, of course, the back of her head, 
and her costume consists of a full, plain skirt 
gathered round the pipe stem about half way 

[59]! 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

down, and a shawl neatly folded round her 
shoulders. These garments may be made of tis- 
sue paper even better than of woven materials. 

A queer doll is called the Indian Scout. On 
a wooden skewer stick two figs. One represents 
the head and one the body. On the head fasten 
bead eyes, a bit of red sealing wax for a mouth, 
and pinch up the fig for a nose. Fasten on some 
long, straight black locks of horsehair, and stick 
into the head fig such feathers as the Indians 
wear. 

Arms and legs are made of branchy raisin 
stems, which are stuck into the body fig. 

Dress this doll in loose red flannel trousers 
and coat, and decorate with beads, feathers, and 
dangling trinkets of any kind. And if you wish, 
you may wrap him in an Indian blanket, and 
provide him with a tomahawk. 

In your market, paper dolls may have a table 
to themselves, for there are so many varieties to 
be made. 

Paste on thin pasteboard the prettiest pic- 
tures cut from a fashion paper or magazine, 
paint them in delicate colors, and then carefully 

[60] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

cut them out. Or cut a body from pasteboard, 
and attach a "scrap picture'' head and neck. 

For this doll make a full white petticoat of 
tissue paper, by cutting a piece the length of the 
dolPs skirt, and full enough to gather up at the 
waistband. This may be scalloped or edged with 
lace paper. 

For a dress make a little yoke shaped piece 
of stiff writing paper. Fold it double, and have 
a slit in the top that it may slip over the dolFs 
head and hang on her shoulders. 

To this paste a full baby waist of tissue paper, 
add tiny puffs for short sleeves, and then attach 
a full skirt, front and back. Trim these little 
dresses as elaborately as you please w^ith lace 
paper, gilt paper, or tiny paper bows. The 
skirts may be pleated at the waist or pinched up 
into gathers. Sashes, hats, capes, and aprons 
may all be added to these paper wardrobes, and 
your own ingenuity will suggest countless varia- 
tions. If your market calls for it, you may make 
many fancy articles from dolls. 

A pretty pin-cushion is made by dressing a 
small china doll with a very full skirt and stick- 

[61] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ing her feet down into the middle of a round pin- 
cushion. The skirt will cover the cushion com- 
pletely, and must be fastened down all around. 

Another cushion is a hat pin cushion, and is 
made by taking a Japanese dolPs head, which 
may be had already fastened on a stick at any 
notion store. 

Put this stick in a long, narrow bag made of 
two pieces of ribbon about two inches wide. 
Stuff the bag tightly with bran, and tie it round 
the dolPs neck with a ribbon by which to hang 
it up. The stick is not absolutely necessary, 
and only serves to keep the cushion in shape. 

If time and trouble are "no objects,^' a dolls' 
wedding is an elaborate toy. On a board cov- 
ered with red velvet, group all the dolls of a 
wedding party. The clergyman in his robes, 
the bride and bridesmaids in appropriate dress, 
the bridegroom, best man, ushers — all of these 
may be represented, and over all arrange a bower 
or canopy of green vines or artificial flowers. 



[62] 



AUGUST 



A PAPER DOLL'S HOUSE 

MY readers have all doubtless seen dolls^ 
houses, but have you ever seen a pa- 
per dolPs house? Whether you have 
or not, you will enjoy making one, 
moreover, they are lots of fun to play with after 
they are made — which cannot be said of every 
home made toy. 

First, get a large book. The best kind is a 
large blank book, such as business men use to 
keep their accounts. Don't have it too thick; a 
book of twenty-four leaves, about ten by fifteen 
inches, is a good size. Also, the book should 
open endwise — that is^ the pages should be 
broader than thev are liisfh. 

Now, each leaf represents a room in the paper 
dolPs house, and, so, must be furnished accord- 

[63] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ingly. Suppose as we enter the house, we make 
the first page for the hall. 

In the upper right hand corner make a win- 
dow about two inches square. Windows are 
made by drawing them with a pen and ink or 
paint brush ; or, better still, paste narrow strips 
of paper in place to represent frame and sash. 
Or, crisscross tiny strips of paper to make a grill 
or diamond paned effect. 

Another way is to make the window frame 
and then add tiny curtains of tissue paper, 
frilled at the top like a real curtain. 

The furniture for the whole house consists 
mainly of pictures of furniture cut from adver- 
tisements or catalogues. If you once begin to 
make paper doll houses, you will soon find your- 
self pouncing on pictures suitable for your use 
wherever you may run across them — and running 
across them everywhere. 

In front of the window in the hall, place a 
tabouret with a potted palm on it. That is to 
say, below^ the window paste the cut out tabouret, 
and on it paste the palm, cut from a florist's 
catalogue. Paste only the lower part of the 

[ 64 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

palm, so that the leaves may rest loosely against 
the window curtain. 

Get a pretty picture of a mantel and fireplace, 
which can be found in the advertising pages of 
a magazine, and paste it in place, a little below 
and to the left of the window. 

Exactly at the foot of the mantel, draw a line 
clear across the page. This marks the division 
between the floor and the wall, and is the only 
attempt at perspective to be made. Paper dolls 
do not care much for perspective, but they do 
like to have their chairs on the floor, and their 
pictures on the walls. 

On the mantel you may paste a clock, vases, 
bric-a-brac, candlesticks, or any such ornaments 
you choose. The catalogue of a depart- 
ment store will furnish you an endless variety 
from which to choose. If you haven't such a 
catalogue, send a postal card to any department 
store in any large city, and you will probably 
receive one by return mail. On the wall paste 
a few well framed pictures and a mirror. 

The furniture may be pasted in place on the 
floor, and should consist of a rug or two, a hat 

[65] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

rack, a settee, and a chair. A piano lamp may 
be added, or a standard lamp on a small table. 

The next room, or the next leaf in the book, 
might be the library. Of course the wall of this 
room will be lined with bookcases. It is not 
necessary to have a window, unless you have 
bare wall space to be filled in, but a few small 
pictures or plaster casts might be hung above 
the bookcases. 

A bit of wall space to the extreme right must 
be reserved for a ^^cozy corner.'' This may be 
cut out entire from an illustration in a maga- 
zine, or it may be made by combining pictures 
of curtains, rugs, and sofa pillows. In the cen- 
ter of this room paste a large library table, and 
select leather chairs and couches for furnishing. 

Either in hall or library you may arrange an 
afternoon tea table. This may be taken from 
some story illustration, but it is more fun first 
to paste in a table and then to arrange on it a 
tea service which has been cut out piece by piece, 
even to the tiny spoons. A plate of cakes and a 
box of candy may be added. 

On your large library table paste some books 
[66] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

and magazines, an inkstand and pen rack, blot- 
ter, and the like, a lamp, a vase of flowers, and 
any such articles that your fancy may suggest. 
The writing appointments may all be of silver 
if you wish. 

The next leaf is the parlor. For this room 
you can make two long windows with large 
sashes and elaborate lace curtains. If you do 
not care for the pictured lace curtains in your 
catalogue, you can make beautiful ones of white 
tissue paper, edged with lace paper. Tie them 
back with baby ribbon or tiny paper bows. 

Between these windows have a long pier glass, 
perhaps with a marble slab beneath it, on which 
stands a vase of flowers. The furniture for the 
parlor may be of the gilded Louis XIV variety, 
or any kind that pleases your taste, or that you 
have at your disposal. There must be a piano, 
grand or upright, the size depending on the size 
of your room. A piano stool, of course, and a 
music rack are necessary. Growing palms, stat- 
uary, and small tables or cabinets filled with 
bric-^-brac may be placed here and there, while a 
sofa and a few chairs complete this room. 

[67] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Next conies the dining-room. Try to find a 
mantel having above it a cupboard vrith glass 
doors. And here belongs a word about cup- 
board doors. If you cut and paste them care- 
fully, they can be made to open and shut, v^hich 
adds greatly to the fun. The bookcases, for in- 
stance, may have doors cut down the middle and 
across the top and bottom. The doors can then 
be opened and shut at will, and when opened may 
show rows of books, which were pasted in place 
before the bookcase was. Likewise in the dining- 
room, a corner cupboard, ov over mantel may be 
made to open and show shelves full of cups and 
saucers, pitchers, and silverware. All these 
things must be very carefully cut and pasted, to 
present a satisfactory appearance. 

The dining table may be square or round, as 
you prefer, and must be pasted only at each side 
of the top. This leaves a slit at the back, 
through which a paper doll may be slipped, and 
have the appearance of sitting at the table. Ob- 
serve this rule with all large tables in the library, 
kitchen, or elsewhere, as, when you come to 

[68] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

bring the family into the house, you will often 
wish to seat them at the tables. 

If you are at all ingenious, you can easily ar- 
range a table cover to be used between meals, 
but which may be taken off when the table is 
set for meals. One way to do this is to have a 
little tab of paper bent back from the top of the 
table cover. This hooks into the top of the table 
and holds the cover in place. 

In your cupboard, slips of paper may take the 
place of shelves, and into these may be tucked 
pictures of cups and saucers and dishes, which 
you can use on the table when you please. To 
represent a cupboard with glass doors, cut the 
panes away just inside the sashes, and then the 
china and silverware will show through. If you 
can get a thin piece of mica or isinglass, it may 
be pasted in the doors for glass. 

A sideboard comes next, and on this, of course, 
you will put all the old family silver, rare bits 
of china, decanters, and perhaps a pitcher of ice 
water. Add tall, straight backed diningroom 
chairs, and a fireplace and mantel if you have 
room for them. In the window, if you have one 

[69] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

in this room, put a balcony box of flowering 
plants. The pictures on the wall should be fruit 
or game pieces. 

Next can come the kitchen. It will be easy 
for you to find a picture of a range in an ad- 
vertisement, and also a beautiful porcelain sink, 
copper boiler, and the like. You may have a gas 
stove, too, if you wish, and a large kitchen cup- 
board with crockery and saucepans in it. Have 
a long table, pasted at the ends, so that the cook 
can stand behind it. Have a pleasant window, 
with a geranium in bloom, a side table, and sev- 
eral chairs. 

Next furnish the pantry. In this put shelves 
and cupboards, a refrigerator, ice cream freezer, 
a clothes horse, and any other suitable equip- 
ments that you find in your catalogues or maga- 
zines. 

So much for down stairs. 

The rest of the book may contain as many bed- 
rooms as your paper doll family requires, a bath 
room, a nursery, servants' rooms, and, if you 
wish, an attic or lumber room. 

The bedrooms should contain beds made pur- 
[70] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

posely, and not cut from pictures, unless the 
pictured ones can be arranged to hold dolls con- 
veniently. To make a paper dolPs bed, cut a 
strip of thin pasteboard about one by five inches 
in size. This is the side of the bed. Paste it 
only along the lower edge, place it where you 
want it, and paste an upright strip at the end to 
represent the foot board. At the head of the bed 
arrange a tissue paper curtain or a head board 
to match the foot board. The pillows can be cut 
from your catalogue, and the counterpane, too. 
Fold over the top edge of the counterpane, so 
that after the doll is put to bed it may be laid 
over her, and the fold will prevent it from slip- 
ping off. 

The other bedroom furniture consists of any 
pretty pieces you can find in the advertisements, 
such as bureaus, chiffoniers, dressing tables, 
chairs and couches, and a pier glass. A regular 
furniture store catalogue is better for these than 
the catalogues of a department store; but from 
the latter you can get towel racks, wash stand 
furnishings, silver toilet articles for the bureau 
or dressing table, pincushions, cologne bottles, a 

[711 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

standard work basket, and innumerable little 
ornaments. Add rugs, pictures, and mirrors to 
suit your fancy. 

The bath room can be easily furnished with 
all its requirements, for the advertising portion 
of many magazines contains pictures of appro- 
priate appliances. Perhaps you can manage a 
tiled floor and wall. Draw the tiles with pen 
and ink before you begin the furnishing, and 
then add your portable bath tub, wash stand, 
shower bath, towel racks, and all the parapher- 
nalia for cleanliness. 

The nursery should contain a crib and a cradle, 
baby's bath, and plenty of rocking horses, 
swings, baby jumpers, dolls and toys for the lit- 
tle paper dolls to play with. Have baby pictures 
on the wall, and a wide window, with slats 
across it, that the little ones may not fall out. 

Besides these rooms, you may think of others 
for yourselves, and the furniture that you find 
in the pictures will doubtless suggest other plans 
to you. One leaf may be a veranda, with ham- 
mocks, piazza chairs, palms, mats, rugs, and set- 
tees. Another may be a lawn or playground, 

[72] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

with trees, shrubs, rustic seats, a tent, a foun- 
tain, a tennis court, and even a pond and a boat 
if you can get the right pictures. 

Then, of course, you must provide a family of 
paper dolls — not the old fashioned kind, for they 
seem incongruous in this kind of a dolPs house, 
but figures cut from fashion magazines or tail- 
ors^ catalogues. 

These dolls may nave many costumes and hats, 
wraps, fans, parasols, canes, and all such things, 
which may be carefully kept in their wardrobes. 
Indeed, if the family is large, it is better to have 
a special clothes room. 

The making of this house is a most fascinating 
task, and one which grows in interest as you pro- 
ceed, and if your dearest friends have houses, 
too, it is great fun for your dolls to visit them. 



[73] 



SEPTEMBER 



MAKING A DOLL'S HOUSE 

ONE of the most engrossing of labors is 
to make and furnish a doll house in 
a modern and up to date way; and 
happy is the mother or aunt or grand- 
mother possessing a small relative for whom to 
prepare this welcome gift. 

One remembers with a shudder the doll houses 
that are sometimes seen^ furnished without re- 
gard to harmony or proportion ; and one wonders 
how any self respecting doll can live in a house 
where the teacups are large enough to put her 
head in, and she could easily carry off the piano 
under one arm. The most satisfactory doll 
house is not elaborate in shape or construction. 
Get a carpenter to make you a box which, 
[74} 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

when stood on end, shall measure about five feet 
high, three feet wide, and eighteen inches deep. 

This box has no front, and is divided by floors 
into three stories. The stories are again divided 
by partitions, the top floor being divided evenly 
into two bedrooms, each eighteen inches square. 
The middle floor is divided into a parlor, about 
twenty-seven inches long, and a hall, nine inches 
wide. 

The lower floor is divided evenly into dining- 
room and kitchen. Each room has a window 
cut through the outside board, and each partition 
has a doorway cut through it. 

If you choose, you may have a gabled roof and 
a chimney on top of this house, but it is not 
necessary. The wood may be stained outside, or 
painted to represent brick, and the whole affair 
should be mounted on casters. 

The house being completed, paper each room 
neatly with an appropriate paper. Unless you 
can procure a very small figure, it is better to 
use a plain paper ; but ceiling papers often show 
tiny designs that answer this purpose admirably. 

A frieze may be added, and the joining con- 
[75] 



PLEASANT m.T jQj^jEl^glOK^g 

cealed by a very narrow wooden molding. Small 
picture frame molding, gilt, silver, or natural 
wood, are the best for this. The diningroom may 
have a w^ainseot of darker paper, and the kitchen 
walls should be covered with what is known as 
"oil cloth paper/' The ceilings must all be pa- 
pered with a light, inconspicuous pattern. 

Next comes the floors. These may be stained 
and varnished, and supplied with rugs, or they 
may be carpeted, according to your fancy. If 
the latter, make a carpet to fit each room, and 
bind it with braid ; do not tack it to the floor, for 
if it fits exactly it will lie in place of its own 
weight. Use real carpet, either a thin Brussels 
or an ingrain, plain or of small pattern. In the 
kitchen, it is better to cover the floor with oil- 
cloth, and this must be tacked down, or it will 
roll. 

Next, to dress the windows. Each must be pro- 
vided with a single pane of glass, divided into 
four parts by narrow strips of paper pasted on 
to represent sashes. The glass may be fastened 
to the wall by a tiny cleat at top and bottom. 
For the bedroom windows, make shades of white 

[76] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

or buff linen. Provide them with sticks in the 
hems, like real shades, and add fringe, if you 
can get it or have patience to make it of linen 
thread. Make the shades half the length of the 
window, and tack them in place at the top. 

Curtains of white dotted Swiss, or fine dimity 
edged with lace, are prettiest for the bedrooms, 
and these should hang from a curtain pole made 
of a polished brown lead pencil, cut to the right 
length, and finished at each end by a brass headed 
tack. If you can get brass rings small enough, 
use them to hold your curtains to the poles, but 
if not, secure the curtains by a few stitches of 
heavy rope silk. These curtains may be tied 
back with narrow ribbons, or left to hang 
straight. 

The parlor curtains may be made of more elab- 
orate lace, and may have other curtains, of vel- 
vet or corded silk, looped back over them. 

The hall window may have a tiny grille or lat- 
ticework covering the upper half, and China silk 
sash curtains below. Cut the lattice from paste- 
board, paint it black, and fasten it up with small 
tacks. Use a very small lead pencil as a rod for 

[77] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the sash curtains. These curtain poles may all 
be held up by brass screw hooks of suitable size. 

The diningroom window may be curtained 
with scrim, or any material you choose, and the 
kitchen window should have a plain white dim- 
ity sash curtain. 

As doors are out of the question, provide each 
doorway with portieres. These may be made of 
any suitable material, and one doorway may be 
dignified with a bead portiere. From a piece of 
pasteboard as long as your doorway is wide, susr 
pend strings of beads as long as the doorway, 
and very close together. Arrange beads of va- 
rious colors and sizes in a symmetrical pattern, 
and tack the pasteboard in place. 

Mantels add greatly to the effect of the rooms, 
and may be bought complete, with fireplace, fen- 
der, etc. But, if home work is preferred, a man- 
tel may be easily made of thin wood or thick 
pasteboard, and fastened to the wall with tri- 
angular brackets of wood. It is then draped with 
a china silk scarf, or painted to harmonize with 
the room. 

A fireplace is more difficult to manage, and 
[78] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

unless you can buy one, or unless you are un- 
usually ingenious in a mechanical way, it is bet- 
ter to omit it. 

Chandeliers and side lights may be bought, 
and they are not at all expensive, but it is next 
to impossible to make them ; so^ if you can't get 
them, light your house with lamps and candles, 
and its tenants will, doubtless, be w^ell satisfied. 

A convenient method of framing the pictures 
for the walls is to cut several frames, exactly 
alike, from pasteboard, and, laying them all to- 
gether, cover the whole neatly with gilt paper. 
This gives a plain, thick frame, and may be made 
round, square, or oval. Narrow picture molding 
may also be used. 

The very prettiest frame for a picture is ob- 
tained by taking the glass and gilt mat out of an 
old fashioned daguerreotype. This suits a col- 
ored picture exceedingly well. You will have no 
trouble in getting really good pictures for your 
house. From an illustrated catalogue of prints 
you may select your favorites, and a tiny "Baby 
Stuart/' or the Sargent "Prophets'' may gladden 
the hearts of artistically inclined dolls. 

[79] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

These pictures may be hung from the picture 
rails, by threading the strings of the pictures 
through ordinary dress hooks, which may be 
bent out a little to make them hang securely. 

And now for the actual furnishing. In the 
bedrooms, some bought furniture seems almost 
a necessity. Bed, bureau, and washstand are 
difficult to make, but if, for any reason, you can- 
not buy them, they can be manufactured. 

The most beautiful dolPs bed I ever saw was 
made from an old match safe, of the carved wood 
that was so popular ten or fifteen years ago. The 
match safe was of the kind that hangs against 
the wall ; the back and main part of it was used 
as a headboard, and the small piece that held the 
matches in made the footboard. These were glued 
to the two ends of a small, shallow cigar box, 
and, after a little carpentry, the effect was fine. 

An old fashioned four post bed is easily made 
by fastening to the corners of a box four sticks. 
Japanese fan handles are fairly good for this 
purpose, but handles of old feather dusters are 
better. If you can get fancy sticks for the foot 
posts, lead pencils, or any plain sticks will do 

[80] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

at the head. A bed of this kind must be cur- 
tained all round, with valances and ruffle as well. 

If you do not buy a bureau, dispense with all 
idea of making one, and substitute a dressing 
table in its stead. An easy and very effective 
way to make this is to take a cylindrical paste- 
board box, and cut it in halves perpendicularly. 
Then cut off an end about two inches high, and 
set it with the flat edge against the wall. Cover 
the top with SAviss over a colored silk or muslin, 
and make a full curtain of the same all round it. 

After it is fastened in its place, arrange two 
long curtains of white Swiss to hang from a long 
nail driven in the wall, about eight inches above 
the table. Gild this nail, and let it serve as a 
rod over which to hang the curtains. At the end 
of the nail fasten a bow of ribbon or a little tin- 
sel ornament. Tie back the curtains at each 
side of tlie table, and on the wall between them 
hang a gilt framed mirror. 

On the table place a pin cushion and any other 
little toilet accessories that you can contrive. 

The wash stand should be bought, but may be 
made by covering a square box with white mus- 

[81] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

lin, and cutting a round hole in the top, in which 
to set a basin and Wer. 

For a towel rack, take two brass rings about 
the size of a silver quarter ; string each on a bit 
of ribbon, about two inches long when doubled, 
and, with a bunch of bows at the top, tack it to 
the wall near the wash stand. Tiny towels must 
be made of a bit of old damask, the ends fringed, 
and the towels thrust through the rings. 

Chairs are easy to make. For an arm chair, 
take a large pill box for the seat ; cut a back and 
arms, all in one piece, of cardboard, and sew it 
in place. Cover all neatly with brocaded silk, 
and stuff the seat with a little cotton or curled 
hair. 

A simple chair is made by taking a cube shaped 
box, measuring about one and a half inches each 
way; to this sew a straight back of cardboard, 
and cover it all with a pretty material. For a 
couch, take an oblong box and make cardboard 
back and end. Or, omit the back and end, throw 
over it a couch cover of fine burlap, worked to 
simulate a ^^Bagdad,'' and add several silk cov- 
ered sofa pillows 

[82] 



PLEASANT^ DAY DIVERSIONS 

A pretty afglian for this is a knitted square, 
bound with satin ribbon, or fringed with w^orsted. 
The couch, being made of a box, may be arranged 
to open and shut, thereby providing a place for 
dolls' clothes. 

A clever little table can be made by taking 
three very slender lead pencils, and crossing 
them in the middle after the fashion of a gipsy 
tripod. Wire them strongly together at this 
point, and conceal the wire with a ribbon tied 
in a bow. Cut the top ends until level, and glue 
on a circular bit of wood or pasteboard for a top. 
This table may or may not have a cover. 

A hassock hay be made of a covered pill box, 
or may be simply a round, soft cushion. 

If one of jovLT bedrooms is for the children of 
the doll family, add a bassinet made of a tiny 
basket, with the handles cut off. Decorate this 
w^ith lace frills and bows of ribbon, and make 
little sheets and pillows. A pretty coverlet for 
bed or bassinet may be made of two pieces of pale 
colored china silk, with a sheet of wadding be- 
tween, and tacked here and there with floss. 

The parlor may be furnished most elaborately 
[83] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

with bought things, if you wish, for the toy shops 
show fascinating furniture and ornaments of 
every description, even to electric lights and tele- 
phones. But carefully made home manufactures 
may rival even these. 

I once saw a piano made by a clever young 
woman, which was a marvel of ingenuity. The 
case was a pasteboard box, rounded at the front 
corners to simulate the shape of a square piano. 
The legs were made from the four quarter sec- 
tions of a wooden knob, of the sort that is used 
to keep a door from opening too far. This knob 
was evenly sawed twice perpendicularly, and 
made very fair legs. The pedals were contrived 
from an old call bell handle and bits of gilded 
pasteboard, and when an embroidered piano 
cover concealed the pasteboard box, the whole 
affair was very creditable to its maker. 

The parlor chairs and sofas can be made like 
the bedroom ones, but more elaborate materials 
should be used for covering, and a tinj^ silk cord 
should be sewed over the joining seams. A small 
easel is easily obtainable, or may be made from 

[84] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

gilded wire, and this may stand in one corner, to 
hold a framed picture. 

A cozy corner is not difficult to build, and it 
gives the room a very up to date air. 

Get some Roman sash ribbon, or soft silk, for 
curtains and pillows, and cover with the same 
stuff the triangular box that forms the seat. At 
the top, cross spears or lances made of pasteboard 
or light wood and covered with tinfoil. Copy a 
real cozy corner, or an illustration of one, as 
nearly as you can. 

Screens, either folding or otherwise, are easily 
made. The frames may be of pasteboard or wood, 
and the covering of brocaded silk, cretonne, or 
Japanese paper ; the whole may be simply a strip 
from a Japanese fan. 

Outside the parlor window may be fastened a 
window box. This should be a wooden box to 
fit the window, securely glued in place, and filled 
with sancl, into which are stuck tiny artificial 
flowers and leaves. Or, if you wish, a bay win- 
dow may be attached to the parlor when the 
house is built, and inside a window seat, cush- 
ioned and curtained, may be arranged. 

[85] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

In the parlor, you might have a palm in a 
gilded flower pot or jardiniere. The palm may 
be a group of small artificial leaves from an old 
hat or may be made of green tissue paper, and 
the jardiniere may be made of a sugar bowl from 
a larger dolPs tea set^ painted with bright 
flowers, or gilt. 

Mirrors, bric-a-brac, candles, clock, books, 
statuettes, and knickknacks of all sorts may be 
added at your convenience. The hall should con- 
tain a hat rack and umbrella stand, but hooks 
in the wall for hats, and a small table will an- 
swer as well. 

The baby carriage may be kept in the hall, 
and a toy dog may lie on a mat. Rugs may be 
made of any material ; those of raveled knitting 
sewed on a foundation are fleecy and pretty, 
while pieces of cameFs hair shawl look just like 
Oriental ones. Embroidered burlap is also good. 

Have a mirror in the hall, and one or two pic- 
tures. A palm, also, is very effective, and, if 
you have room, an afternoon tea table is easily 
arranged. 

In the diningroom little is needed besides table 
[86] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

and chairs. A sideboard is out of the question, 
unless you buy it, but a side or serving table, 
covered with a white cloth, will do as well. 

For the dining table, take a box such as a 
dozen spools of cotton are sold in, or a larger 
one if you wish. In the corners of this fasten 
firmly legs made of square sticks of wood, or 
lead pencils cut to the right length. White table 
cloths or a colored cover will always conceal the 
box. 

If you have no sideboard, cut shelves about 
one by four inches in size from the thin wooden 
cover of a grape basket, or from a cigar box. 
Make a hole in each corner of each shelf, and run 
cords through, knotting the cord under each 
shelf. Suspend this from the picture rail, and 
set dishes or the family plate upon it. Let the 
pictures in the diningroom represent fruit or 
game, and on the wall hang old blue plates, 
which you can make by daubing blue paint on 
white dolPs plates. 

Cover your diningroom chairs with pieces of 
old glace kid gloves, to represent leather, and 
stud the edges with small brass headed tacks or 

[87] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

pins. The kitchen should have a large cupboard, 
which can be made from a cigar box. Stand the 
box on end, cut the cover down the middle^ and 
fasten both pieces to the box with small hinges, 
so that they open and shut as doors. Glue shelves 
inside^ and fill it with saucepans, pots, kettles, 
towels, kitchen utensils, etc. 

A good sized table is necessary, also a smaller 
table or wash bench, and an ironing board cov- 
ered with white muslin. Wash tubs, brooms, 
etc., must be bought, also a cooking stove, or a 
^^tin kitchen.'' 

Having your house completed, you must pro- 
vide tenants for it. These may be of whatever 
ages you choose, but it is well to have a father 
and mother dolls, two or three children dolls, a 
nurse, and a cook. 

The father doll is the most difficult to dress, 
but it is not likely he will be severely criticised 
by the recipient of the doll house. The mother 
doll should wear a trailing dress, and should 
have a hat and a wrap when she goes out. 

A baby doll in long clothes, one or two small 
[88] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

children in pretty frocks, a nurse in neat calico 
dress and white apron, and a cook attired for 
the kitchen complete the household, unless you 
choose to add a cat, or a bird in its cage. 



[89] 



OCTOBER 



HALLOWE'EN HAPPENINGS 

FOE real, rollicking, frolicking fun, there 
is nothing more jolly than a Hallowe'en 
party. 

The observance of Hallowe'en, or All- 
Hallow Eve, is a tradition handed down from 
the ancient Druids, who celebrated their harvest 
festival on the last day of October. The next 
day was All-Hallows', or All-Saints' Day, and 
so they called the festival All-Hallow E'en. 

The gay games of modern times are not much 
like the solemn rites of the Druids, but a connec- 
tion may be traced between the supernatural be- 
liefs of the ancients, and the burlesque attempts 
to pry into the mysteries of the future, which 
our own Hallowe'en fun represents. 
Long after the time of the Druids, simple- 
[90], 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

minded country people continued to believe in 
charms and witchcraft, and especially claimed 
that on the night of October 31 witches and 
goblins held revel, and fairies danced about in 
the woods. From these spirits, or their manifesta- 
tions, it was believed that the future could be 
foretold and human destinies discovered. As our 
celebration of the occasion is merely a whim- 
sical adaptation of all this, there is one thing 
clear at the outset : To a successful Hallowe'en 
party, the young guests must bring a large stock 
of imagination, a zest for merriment, and an un- 
failing fund of good humor. For many Hallow- 
e'en tricks result in turning the laugh on one or 
another, and this must be accepted in a gay, good- 
natured spirit. Old-fashioned Hallowe'en parties 
were held in the kitchen, and where this is prac- 
ticable, it is a good plan for many of the games. 
But all of the rooms used should be decorated 
with trophies of the harvest. Pumpkins, apples, 
grain stalks, and autumn leaves, offer materials 
for beautiful and effective trimming ; and, if de- 
sired, draperies of red and yellow cheese-cloth, 
and ornamentations of red and yellow crepe pa- 

[91] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

per, may be added. Jack-o'-lanterns are, of 
course, a necessity. All boys know how to scoop 
out pumpkins, cut gj'otesque faces on them and 
insert candles. But don't stop with the pump- 
kins. Make lanterns also of queer - shaped 
squashes, turnips, cucumbers, and even apples. 
For invitations to a Hallowe'en party, find a 
large oak or maple leaf in bright autumn tints. 
Lay this on a paper and trace the shape, then 
tint it in gay colors, and write the invitation 
thereon; or, use cards decorated with tiny 
sketches of Jack-o'-lanterns, witches on broom- 
sticks or black cats. Some such verse as this 
may appear on the card : 

IlaUowe'en wiU teU you true 
What the Future holds for you. 
Thursday evening, just at eight, 
Come, prepared to learn your Fate. 

When the guests arrive, the house should be 

but dimly lighted, and a weird and mysterious 

atmosphere should prevail. Eed shades on the 

lights, or a red screen before the open fire, give 

a soft, rich glow. The guests may be received by 

some one dressed as a witch, or garbed in a 

white sheet to represent a ghost. Welcome should 

[92] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

be spoken in sepulchral tones and accompanied 
by groans or wails. Some one may play snatches 
of wild, weird music on the piano, or strike occa- 
sional clanging notes from muffled gongs. Jack- 
o'-lanterns peer from unexpected places, and, if 
convenient, an Aeolian harp may be arranged in 
an open window. The awesomeness of effect will 
be sufflcietly relieved by the irrepressible laugh- 
ter of the merry guests as they arrive. 

It is well to begin with the simpler sort of 
Hallowe'en games. First comes the Initial Let- 
ter. Pare an apple in one continuous piece. 
Swing it slowly around your head three times, 
and let it fall on the floor. The letter it forms 
as it falls will be the initial of your future Fate. 
This incantation should be pronounced as the 
experiment is tried : 

Paring, paring, long and green, 
TeU my Fate for HaUowe'en. 
The Mirror is another test. A girl must stand 

with her back to a mirror, and, looking over her 

shoulder, repeat this charm : 

Mirror, Mirror, tell to me 
Who my future Fate may be. 
Ere the magic moments pass, 
Frame his picture in the glass. 

[93] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

A merry trick is Blowing out the Candle. A 
boy and a girl may try this at the same time. 
Each must be blindfolded, and after turning 
around three times may try to blow out a lighted 
candle. A prize may be given to the one who suc- 
ceeds. Hallowe'en prizes should be plentiful and 
of trifling value. Also^ let them be, as far as 
possible, appropriate to the occasion. Pen- 
wipers may be in the shape of witches' peaked 
hats, bats, brooms, black cats, autumn leaves, or 
wee white ghosts. Pin-cushions may represent 
tiny pumpkins, tomatoes, apples, or radishes. 
Peanut owls, black velvet witches, chenille imps, 
and other weird or grotesque figures will suggest 
themselves, and in the shops may be found inex- 
pensive trinkets suggestive of the day. 

Another prize game is Biting the Apple. A 
large apple is suspended by a string, and two or 
more players try to catch it and take a bite. It 
is not permissible to touch the apple with the 
hands, and if the merry contestants forget this, 
their hands may be tied behind their backs. 

A good variation of this game is to take a bar- 
rel hoop and suspend it from the ceiling so that 

[94]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

it will swing and revolve freely. From it, at in- 
tervals, suspend by short strings, apples, nuts, 
candies, cakes, and candle-ends. Who gets by 
chance a candle-end, must pay a forfeit, while 
the dainties are considered prizes of themselves. 
Another rollicking form of this game is called 
Bobbing for Apples. A large tub is filled with 
water, and in it a number of apples are set float- 
ing. Previously, the initials of each one of the 
guests have been cut upon an apple. All those 
with girls' initials are put in at one time, and the 
boys endeavor to draw out the apples with their 
teeth, while their hands are tied behind them. 
Then the girls "bob" likewise for the apples 
which bear the boys' initials. The apple secured 
is supposed to represent the future Fate of the 
lad or lassie. 

A true Hallowe'en game is the Fateful Ice- 
cream. In a mound or brick of ice-cream are 
hidden a dime, a ring, and a thimble. The dish 
is passed around and each guest eats a spoonful. 
Whoever chances to get the dime is destined to 
great wealth ; the ring betokens matrimony, and 
the thimble single blessedness for life. 

[95], 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Popping Corn, though of no fateful signifi- 
cance, is an indispensable part of the program, 
and must not on any account be omitted. Pop- 
corn, somehow, seems to belong to Hallowe'en. 

Popping Chestnuts is a more serious matter. 
Two chestnuts are laid on an open fire or hot 
stove, and the inquiring maiden names each for 
a youth of her acquaintance. According to the 
Hallowe'en super sition, if one nut pops or bursts, 
that suitor is the unlucky one, but if it burns 
with a steady glow until consumed to ashes, it 
shows a true and faithful lover. So old is this 
particular ceremony, that no less than John Gay 
thus w^rote of it : 

Two hazel-nnts I throw into the flame, 
And to each nut I give a sweetheart's name, 
This, with the loudest bounce me saw amazed ; 
That, in a flame of brightest color blazed. 
As blazed the nut, so may thy passion glow, 
For 't was thy nut that did so brightly glow. 

Threading the Needle is a test of a steady hand. 
A boy or a girl may hold a needle while the other 
tries to thread it. Each must use but one hand, 
and sometimes he or she is made to hold in the 
other hand a full cup of water which must not 

[96] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

be spilled. If the needle is finally threaded the 
two are presumably destined for each other. The 
other young people help or hinder the pair by 
chanting this charm: 

Needly thready, 

Steady I Steady I 
Where 's the thread? The needle 's ready. 
Now you have it, and now you don't ! 
Now she will, and now she won't ! 
Aim it true, and aim it straight, 
And behold your future Fate ! 

The Game of Who's Got the Ring, though old, 

is another traditional feature of the occasion. 

The players stand in a circle;, holding hands, 

while one stands in the middle. A ring is passed 

swiftly and slyly from one hand to another, and 

the player inside the circle must try to capture it 

as it goes. All sing in concert : 

Ring go round, ring go round ! 
You can find it, I 11 be bound. 
Now it*s here, and now it 's there, 
Changing, ranging everywhere. 
Watch more carefully, and then 
You may see, it ! 

Fooled again ! 

Needless to say, the last line often rings out most 

appropriately. 

The Bowl of Flour is a pretty test of who shall 

[97] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

be the first bride or bridegroom of the group. 
Pack a bowl very tightly with flour, and in it 
drop a wedding-ring. Invert the bowl on a plat- 
ter, and remove it carefully, leaving a compact 
mound of flour. With a broad, silver knife, let 
each guest cut off a slice of the flour. As it 
crumbles, if it contain the ring, it is an omen of 
approaching marriage. 

Counting the Seeds is a game all may play at 
once. Each is given an apple, which is at once 
cut in two, crossways, and the seeds counted. If 
two seeds are found, it portends an early mar- 
riage; three indicates a legacy; four, great 
wealth; five, an ocean trip; six, great public 
fame; seven, the possession of any gift most de- 
sired by the finder. 

Nutshell Boats make a pretty test of Fortune. 
In the half shells of English walnuts are fitted 
masts made of matches, and tiny, paper sails. On 
each sail is written the name of a guest, and the 
boats are set afloat in a tub of water. If two 
glide together, it indicates a similar fate for their 
owners ; if one sails alone, it means a lonely life. 

[98] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

A gentle stirring up of the water will make the 
boats behave in an amusing manner. 

The Three Saucers is said to be an unerring 
revelation of Fate. One saucer must contain 
clear water, another, soapy water, or water into 
which a drop of ink has been spilled, and the 
third saucer is empty. 

A girl is blindfolded, and must dip her finger 
into one saucer. If the empty one, she will al- 
waj^s remain single ; if the soapy water, she will 
marry a widower; but if she touch the clear 
water, her Fate will be a handsome and wealthy 
husband. 

And as a parting peep into the mysteries of 
the Future, let the hostess or some grown-up read 
the palms of the young people. This need not be 
scientific palmistry, but a merry make-believe, 
wherein the fortune-teller can gravely assure the 
young inquirers of astounding events or fabulous 
delights which may come into their future lives. 

After merry and rollicking games, it is a wel- 
come rest to sit down to Fagot stories. The 
hostess should have in readiness a number of 
small fagots, or bunches of small dry twigs, tied 

[99] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

together with a bit of ribbon. One should be 
given to each guest. These, in turn, are thrown 
on the fire, and each guest must tell a story that 
shall last as long as his or her fagot is blazing. 



1 100 ] 



NOVEMBER 



AN ANTE-CHRISTMAS GIFT 

L Llk JfT OTHER/' said Frances Peyton, ^'I 
\/l do wish I could think of some- 
JL ▼ JL thing nice to give Mrs. Hilliard 
for Christmas.^' 
^Why, my child/' answered Mrs. Peyton, 
^^there is nothing that you could give Mrs. Hil- 
liard that she would care for. She is very 
wealthy, and has everything in the world that 
she can desire. 

^^I don't mean an expensive gift," interrupted 
Frances; ^^I mean some little thing that would 
show that I thought of her. I want to give her 
something that, though it has no special money 
value, will be just what she'll like for some par- 
ticular reason, and I'm sure I shall find it." 
A feAV days later Frances came home with her 
[101] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

arms full of bundles and triumphantly an- 
nounced that she had thought of just the right 
gift for her friend. 

"I'm going to give it to her a few days before 
Christmas," she said, and she opened the parcels ; 
"but it will be a Christmas gift, all the same, and 
I know she'll like it/' 

Mrs. Peyton looked on while Frances pro- 
ceeded to take a good-sized and particularly nice 
pasteboard box and place it on the table as the 
foundation of her scheme. Into the box went, 
first, a dozen sheets of smooth, stiff manila wrap- 
ping paper, and on the top of these a dozen more 
sheets of the same in lighter weight. Next fol- 
lowed two dozen sheets of white wrapping paper 
— and after this two dozen sheets of white tissue 
paper. Then came three pieces, or bolts, of 
red satin "baby" ribbon, and two bolts of 
"holly" ribbon, a ball of English twine, a ball 
of fine red cord and a ball of silvered cord; 
also three dozen illustrated cards in pretty de- 
signs with "Merry Christmas" on them in gilt 
letters, and blank spaces for names; two dozen 
plain white cards, a dozen white baggage tags, a 

[102] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVEESIONS 

paper of pins and a pair of scissors. A package 
of large, strong envelopes, of assorted sizes, was 
added for mailing purposes, also a few stiffened 
photograph envelopes. A tube of paste, a stick 
of red sealing wax and a box of rubber bands 
completed the outfit; and then over all Frances 
laid sprigs of holly, of convenient size and shape 
to decorate outgoing gifts. 

The great box was neatly tied up, and though 
Christmas was yet two days away, Frances car- 
ried it at once to Mrs. Hilliard. She found her 
friend seated in the midst of an array of presents 
to be sent off, vainly trying to wrap a parcel in 
a piece of paper very much too small for it. Her 
expressions of gratitude were quite too genuine 
to be mistaken; and Frances had afterward the 
pleasure of hearing her say that of all her many 
presents not one was half so satisfactory or time- 
ly as her "Ante-Christmas Gift.^^ 



[108 a 



DECEMBER 



CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 

HOW many children want to make gifts 
for Christmas? Everybody? Very 
well; come to the work room, one 
and all, and let us see what we can 
find to do. Our work tables are loaded with ma- 
terials^ — silks, ribbons, and paper; needles and 
thimbles for the girls, scissors and glue pots for 
the boys. Now let us set to work. 

The Flag Frame. Firstly, here are photograph 
frames. These are very good for Christmas gifts 
because they are appropriate for everybody. One 
of the most popular this season is the flag frame. 
Take an American flag about eight inches long, 
and provide two pieces of pasteboard, one piece 
of glass, and one piece of cotton wadding, all ex- 
actly the size and shape of the flag.j 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Now in one piece of cardboard cut an oval 
opening that will come directly under the striped 
end of the flag. Cut a similar opening in the cot- 
ton, and then, laying the flag over these, cut from 
it a smaller oval. Then with all held carefully 
in place, cut slits from the edge of the hole in 
the flag as far as the edge of the hole in the card- 
board. Turn back the little flaps and paste them 
neatly to the back of the cardboard. 

Next place a photograph in the opening, lay 
the other cardboard piece behind it, and the glass 
in front of it, and bind all with a strip of white 
or red paper half an inch wide, pasted carefully 
on. Before attaching the back, fasten to it either 
a ring to hang it up by, or a wire support to al- 
low it to stand on a table. 

A Pretty Bonhon Box for the Christmas tree 
may be made by getting from the druggist one of 
those round boxes about three inches across and 
less than an inch high. This will make two, as 
the cover and box may be used separately. Cut 
a quantity of heart shaped leaves from red tissue 
paper. Crumple them into shape and then sew 
them round your box until the outside is entirely 

[105] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

covered and it looks like a queer flower with an 
open center. 

Now take a strip of ribbon two inches wide, 
and the color of your paper leaves. Sew this 
round the top of the box and gather it up like a 
little bag with a bit of floss silk of similar color, 
as shown in the picture on the opposite page. 

Another Christmas Tree Ornament is the 
Dancing Fairy. Get a ^^scrap picture'' that repre- 
sents a pretty face with arms and waist. Paste 
this in the middle of a circular skirt made by 
taking a strip of tarlatan or tissue paper three 
inches wide and a yard long. Plait or gather 
this so closely that it spreads out all round like 
a gauzy skirt. Spangle it with euchre stars or 
bits of gilt paper, and add a loop at the back, by 
which to hang the doll to the tree. 

An Odd Needle Cushion is made from a bit of 
white velvet, cut square and joined at two con- 
tiguous sides like a cornucopia. This is then 
stuffed tightly with bran and the top corner bent 
over and sewed down, shaping the cushion as 
much as possible like a rabbit's head. 

Small triangles of the velvet are gathered at 
[ 106 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the base and fastened on for ears. Round headed 
black pins are stuck in for eyes, and splashes of 
black ink represent the markings of a rabbit's 
fur. The point of the cushion is gathered a little 
and a red stitch of sewing silk marks the mouth. 
An artistic arrangement of fine needles repre- 
sents Mr. Bunny's whiskers, and the whole may 
be securely fastened to a card or base of any 
kind. 

A Bureau Draicer Pad. A very simple but ex- 
ceedingly convenient gift is a bureau drawer 
pad. Cut two pieces of silk or silkoline the size 
of the bottom of the drawer. Lay between them 
a sheet of cotton wadding, on which sprinkle 
lavender flow^ers or orris root. Bind all around 
with a narrow ribbon and tack the pad at inter- 
vals with sewing silk or tiny ribbon bows. 

Whisk Broom Case. A funny gift is a whisk 
broom dressed up to represent an old colored 
^^mammy.*' The handle of the broom is padded 
and covered with black cotton cloth on which 
features are outlined with red silk lips and shoe 
button eyes. A Mother Hubbard gown of calico, 

[107] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

a white aprorij a neck kerchief, and a gay turban 
make up the costume. 

A Coat E anger is a useful present for anybody, 
and elaborately decorated, it is very acceptable 
to the owner of handsome bodices. 

Procure an ordinary coat hanger of wire and 
cover it thickly around each arm with cotton bat- 
ting. Then take fancy sash ribbon and fold over 
it, joining the two edges of the ribbon at the top 
and leaving a frill above the shirr. Cover the 
hook neatly with a bit of the same ribbon. 

A Shoe Button Bag. A very useful article in 
this line is a shoe button bag. Take a piece of 
stout pasteboard about four by six inches. Cover 
it with yellow satin, and across the bottom of it 
attach a piece of shirred yellow satin forming a 
little bag. At the top fasten three leaves of 
white merino, buttonholed round the edge with 
yellow silk. 

From the two top corners, suspend by narrow 
yellow ribbons a pair of small scissors, a piece 
of white wax, and a tiny emery bag. Also sus- 
pend a spool of heavy black shoe thread by a 
ribbon from the upper corners. In the bag or 

[108] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

pocket, place a thimble and a card of shoe but- 
tons, and in the flannel leaves stick some coarse 
needles. 

Other Bags. Of bags to make there is no end. 
A skate bag is a good present for boy or girl, and 
is best made from strong woolen cloth. Cut it 
about fourteen inches long and twelve wide, and 
line it with chamois skin or drilling. 

Finish the top with a narrow hem into which 
run two pieces of whalebone as long as the bag 
is wide. This makes it easier to open than the 
old fashioned draw string. The cord to carry it 
by may be attached at the corners. A pretty de- 
vice is to cut the initials of the owner from red 
flannel and sew them on the bag with buttonhole 
stitch. 

Children are always pleased with bean bags. 
Make these of turkey red or any bright material 
cut about six inches square. Fill them about 
half full of beans and take care to sew strongly. 

If grandmother sits by a window which is not 
perfectly tight, she will be glad of a sand bag to 
lay across it. This is made by filling a long nar- 
row bag with sand until it is a tight, firm roll 

iC 109 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

which may be laid on the sill along the window 
>sash to keep out drafts. 

Plate Protectors. A gift which is as inex- 
pensive as it is useful is a set of plate protectors. 
These are simply disks of white cotton wadding, 
about six inches in diameter, buttonholed around 
the edge with colored sewing silk. They are 
placed between piled up china plates to prevent 
one plate from scratching the design of the next, 
and are a delight to any careful housekeeper who 
owns beautiful plates. 

Gifts for CJiildren. A gift to please a child is 
a scrap book, on the leaves of which are pasted 
pictures of animals or children cut from the 
comic papers and magazines. Under each picture 
may be written a jingle or doggerel verse describ- 
ing the picture, and though the maker of the 
book may be no poet, she will probably be able 
to compose rhymes which will please the child 
recipient. 

One of the very prettiest gifts for a child is a 
doll's bedstead made of the boxes that hold a 
dozen spools of cotton. These may be procured 
from any dry goods or notion store. 

[110] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Stand the cover of the box up on end and fit 
the end of the box into it. Then take half of an- 
other box and add it to the top. forming a can- 
opy. Make side curtains of some fine, thin ma- 
terial, and tie them back with tiny ribbons. Put 
a ruffle of the same material across the front of 
the canopy and all round the bed. Then furnish 
the bed with a little mattress, sheets, pillows, etc. 

A Button Chest. To make a tiny chest of but- 
ton boxes, procure from a druggist six of the lit- 
tle boxes with slip covers, that are used for pow- 
ders. Set these on top of one another in two 
piles of three boxes each, and wrap round the 
whole a piece of ribbon whose width just equals 
the length of the boxes. On top place a bow of 
the same ribbon. On the end of each box sew a 
shoe button, a hook, a safety pin, a glove button, 
a needle, and a black pin, and fill the boxes with 
corresponding articles. Drops of paste should be 
placed between the boxes to hold them firmly in 
place. 

Sachet Envelopes, For easily made gifts that 
will serve as Christmas cards, take ordinary 
square envelopes of a fine quality, and decorate 

[ 111 I 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

them with painted flowers or gilded mottoes. 
Slip in them square pieces of cotton wadding 
sprinkled with orris root and violet sachet pow- 
der. Seal the envelope and tie a narrow ribbon 
around it with a pretty bow. 

The 'Newest Pincushion is made of silk or satin 
to represent a tiny mattress. Out two pieces of 
the material about five by three inches in size, 
and with a narrow strip of the same material, 
join them "box'' fashion. Fill this case with 
smooth layers of wool wadding, or — and this is 
vastly better for the pins — stuff it tightly with 
bran, and tuft it at intervals with embroidery 
silk. 



[ 112 1 



AUTOMOBILE CHECKERS 



U^ 



^ / "W" y NOLE BOB/' said Lucy, as she and 
Fred came wandering into the 
study one rainy Saturday morning, 
"you told us that when you had 
plenty of time you'd show us how to make a love- 
ly game ; not a trick, but a regular game to play. 
And to-day is Saturday, so we have no school; 
and it's pouring, we can't play out doors; and 
so won't you show us about the game to-day?" 

"I think I will," said Uncle Bob, cheerily; 
*^that is, if you can find the materials to make 
the game out of." 

"What do we need?" asked Fred. 

"First you want a board marked into sixty- 
four squares, like a checker board. You can 
make this board yourselves, of wood or paste- 
board ; but you must draw the squares neatly and 
carefully, so that your game will be permanently 
useful." 

[ 113 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

^^There's an old checker board up in the attic/^ 
said Lucy. ''We put it up there when we got 
our new one for a Christmas present. Why can't 
we use the old one for this game?" She soon 
brought down the old checker board, and Uncle 
Bob said it would do. 





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Macadam 
10 




Sform 

To 

Shelrer 


To 

Hospital 


Jail 




Icsr 

Conhrol 

of Car 

Lose lO 




B£.d 
Chauffeur 

Loses 




Killed 1 

Oulof 
Came 




Lose 

•ne move 




Hospital 

Lose 
one move 




Bad . 
Road 
Loses 




CoasHng 
20 




Tir» 
lose 

one move 


Shfeirer 




Good 
Chauffeur 

5 




Garage 




Ran over 
a Person 

Lose 20 






Repa'ir 
Shop 




Towed 

Backro 
TheStart 




Ran over 
©Dog 

LoaeS 




Up Hill 
Loses 




V 


False 
Srart 

fel-S. 




Racer 
15 




Oou^n 
Hill 

20 





At Uncle Bob's direction, the children cut 
thirty-two small squares of paper, that would 
exactly fit the squares of the checker board. 
These they pasted on every alternate square of 
the old board ; that is to say, they pasted one on 

[114] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

each white square, leaving the red squares un- 
covered. 

^^Now, which of you two children can paint the 
best?'' asked Uncle Bob. 

"Oh, Fred can!'' cried Lucy. "He makes the 
neatest, sweetest little letters you ever saw !" 

Then Uncle Bob told Fred exactly what to 
print on the squares which had been covered with 
white paper, and the boy's work looked like the 
accompanying diagram. 

While Fred was working away 
at this, Uncle Bob told Lucy that 
she might make the counters, 
while he himself made the cars. 
"It is the game of a motor trip," 
said Uncle Bob, "and it is most 
exciting, and somewhat dangerous, at least in 
theory; but you may be sure that it's lots of fun." 
As he talked, Uncle Bob cut out four little 
disks of thick pasteboard, about as large round 
as a checker. On each of these he drew rapidly 
a little motor car, beneath which he printed the 
name of the motor in red ink. 

[115] 




PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

While he was at Avork on these, Lucy, under his 
directions, made the counters. First, she took 
a square of pasteboard, measuring about four 
inches each way, and on it, with the aid of a 
round inkstand, drew a circle four inches in di- 
ameter. Across the circle she drew lines which 
divided it into twenty parts, and each of these 
parts she numbered 5, 10, 20, and so on to 100. 
In the middle of this card she fastened a clever 
little device which Uncle Bob showed her how 
to make. This was a small dart or arrowhead 
cut from pasteboard, which she fastened to the 
card, putting a needle with a double thread 
knotted at the end through the wide end of the 
dart and the center of the circle. Then she cut 
off the needle, knotted the two ends tight on the 
other side, and clipped them off close. This en- 
abled the dart to move freely and point to any 
number that the player might desire. 

At last all was completed for the game of 
motor cars, and eagerly the children prepared to 
play. 

Uncle Bob himself produced a box which was 
[116] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

found to contain four neat little dice boxes and 
four large dice. 

As there were only three to play, one of Uncle 
Bob's little automobile pictures was laid away, 
and, sitting round the table on which lay Fred's 
carefully lettered board, the game began. 

All three of them threw their dice to see who 
should play first. 

The highest throw designated that first player, 
and by chance this luck fell to Fred. He had 
chosen the red motor car for his, and his throw 
was a tw^o-spot. 

At this point Uncle Bob produced a list of 
rules which he gave to the children, and which 
read thus: 

One-spot, one square up or down. 

Two-spot, one square right of left. 

Three-spot, two squares up or down. 

Four-spot, two squares right or left. 

Five-spot, one square diagonally. 

Six-spot, one square in any direction. 

As Fred had thrown a two-spot, and as he had 
already placed his motor car on the lower left 
hand corner square, he had the privilege of mov- 

[117] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

jng one square to right or left. As he could not 
move to the left, he chose one square to the right. 

Then Uncle Bob and Lucy threw to see who 
would be the next player, and as Lucy threw 
higher, it was her turn. Placing her blue auto- 
mobile on "The Start/^ she threw her dice again, 
and threw a five. This took her machine to the 
"Kepair Shop,'' and then it was Uncle Bob's turn 
to begin the game. Then they continued to take 
turns all through the game. 

At each throw of the dice, the player was en- 
titled to move in accordance with the rules, un- 
less he was on a square where he was ordered 
to lose one move^ — in this case he simply skipped 
his turn. Likewise, on reaching a square where 
a player gained one move, he took his extra turn 
immediately. 

No motor car was allowed to move to a square 
already occupied. The exception to this was, if 
ordered there from another square. For in- 
stance, a car which moved to a square contain- 
ing the direction "To Hospital," "To Jail," etc., 
must move at once to the square indicated, and 

[118] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

if that square was occupied, the earlier occupant 
must be sent back to ^^The Start.'' 

When a car moved to a square containing a 
certain number, that number might be added to 
the score on the player's counter ; or if the direc- 
tion was to lose a certain number, the count had 
to be turned back so much. 

The player who first scored a hundred won 
the game; and only a few trials were necessary 
to show the exciting possibilities and the many 
opportunities for clever play and strategic 
moves. A player who was forced to move to 
the square ^^Killed" was out of that game. 



[ 119 ] 



THE GAME OF STUNTS 

TO-DAY, iincle/^ said Lucy, "I want you 
to teach us a regular game; for to-mor- 
row our club meets here, and I want a 
nice new game to play with them/' 
"Well,'' said Uncle Bob, "there is a new game 
something like forfeits, that I feel sure would 
Just suit you." 

He proceeded to explain the game. "In the 
first place,'' he said, "you must have a lot of 
blank cards — ^^as many cards as you have guests, 
you know. Then on each card you must write 
something that I shall tell you^ — something to 
do." 

"Oh, a sort of stunt," said Fred. 
"Yes, I suppose you modern young people 
would call them stunts. Indeed, that is a good 
name for this game, ^The Game of Stunts.' 
Well, are your cards ready?" 
"Yes, sir." 

1 120 ]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Then Lucy and Fred both wrote at once, at 
their uncle's dictation, and when they had 
finished, these stunts were written, one on each 
card : 

THE STUNTS 

1. To bite an inch off a red hot poker. 

2. To put one hand where the other hand can- 
not touch it. 

3. To stand upon the fire for two minutes. 

4. To write your name in one letter. 

5. To ask a question that cannot be answered 
except by "Yes." 

6. To push your head through a finger ring. 

7. To put yourself through the keyhole. 

8. To kiss the girl you love best without her 
knowing it. 

9. To place a lead pencil on the floor so that 
no one can jump over it. 

10. To stand in the middle of the room, and 
draw a line round you that you cannot get out 
of without taking your coat off. 

11. To put a book in such a place that every- 
one in the room can see it except yourself. 

[ 121 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

12. To kiss a book inside and outside with- 
out opening it. 

13. To put two chairs together, back to back, 
take off your shoes, and jump over them. 

14. To lay a sheet of newspaper on the floor, 
and place two persons upon it in such a way 
that they cannot touch each other with their 
hands. 

15. To take somebody half way upstairs, and 
then bring him down on a feather, 

16. To stamp your foot, with your shoe on as 
usual, without making a sound. 

17. To tell in the records of which Egyptian 
dynasty So-met-i-mes appears. 

18. To tell which letter of the Dutch alpha- 
bet represents an English lady of rank. 

19. Spell mouse-trap with three letters. 
"These cards,'' said Uncle Bob, "you must 

distribute, one to each player. Those who can 
do their stunts are allowed to do them. Those 
who cannot must return their cards to the leader 
of the game. Then the successful ones each draw 
one of the returned cards, and if possible do the 

[ 122 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

stunt written on it. This process is continued 
until all the stunts are done. 

^Then whoever has done the most of them 
should have a prize or honor of some sort. It 
is well also to let the players draw the cards the 
first round, that there may be no unfairness or 
favoritism.'^ 

THE SOLUTION 

Then Uncle Bob gave the following solution 
of the stunts : 

1. Make a bite in the air, an inch away from 
a hot poker. 

2. Place one hand on the other elbow. 

3. Write the word "fire'' on a paper and stand 
upon it. 

4. Make a large letter C or O and write your 
name inside it. 

5. What does y-e-s spell? 

6. Stick your finger through a ring, and push 
against your head with your finger tip. 

7. Write the word "yourself" on a paper, roll 
it up, and put it through a keyhole. 

8. Kiss all the girls in the room. 

[ 123 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

9. Place it on the floors close to the wall. 

10. Draw the line on your tightly buttoned 
coat, all the way round yourself. 

11. Put the book on your own head. 

12. Kiss the book inside the room and then 
outside the room. 

13. Jump over your shoes. 

14. Lay the paper across a doorsili. Then 
close the door and stand one person inside the 
room and one outside, but both on the paper. 

15. Bring him a feather with its own down on 
it. 

16. Moisten a postage stamp and stick it on 
your shoe. 

17. The word is simply "sometimes.^^ 

18. Duchess (Dutch S.) 

19. 0-a-t. 

A MAGIC TRICK 

^^I think that^s a good game/' said Fred ; ^^but 
I like magic better. Do show us a magic trick, 
uncle.'' 

^^All right. Loan me a quarter, Fred.'^ 
Fred handed his uncle a quarter, and the 
[ 124 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

latter placed it on the table. Then, taking two 
books, he placed the smaller book on the quarter, 
quite concealing it, and put the larger book be- 
side the other. "Now/' said Uncle Bob, rubbing 
his hands together, "watch closely^ children. As 
you know, the quarter is under the small book. 
Look again, to make sure.'' He lifted both 
books, and the children saw for a certainty that 
the coin was beneath the smaller book. 

"Now, don't speak, but just watch," said 
Uncle Bob. Then he made mystic passes with 
his hands above the books, but not touching 
them. 

"Abracadabra! Presto! Change!" he said in 
a low, drawling voice. 

"Now," he said, "the coin has changed places. 
It is under the large book." 

"Oh," cried Fred, "how wonderful! Let me 
see." 

But as he was about to lift the books, his 
uncle stopped him. "What!" he said. "You 
don't doubt my word, I hope? But let me show 
you the rest of the trick. It is far more amaz- 
ing than that." 

[125] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Again Uncle Bob waved his hands mystically 
over the books^ and repeated a queer jabbering 
jargon. Then he said, "Ah, it is done. It is 
harder to make it come back than to go. The 
first time, you know, I made the quarter move 
over under the larger book. This time I made 
it move back, and it is now beneath the smaller 
book again. It is a difficult feat; but I am al- 
most sure it is there. Ah, yes, there it is," and 
Uncle Bob lifted the small book, and sure 
enough there was the silver coin. 

"But did it really move?'^ said Lucy, much 
perplexed. 

Fred shouted with laughter. "Oh, Lucy,'^ he 
cried, "don't you know when you're hoaxed?'^ 
Thank you, uncle; that's a jolly little sell." 



[126] 



THE GAME OF THE REVO- 
LUTIONARY WAR 

TO make this game, first get two large 
sheets of pasteboard, so strong and 
stiff that it will not warp. Out from 
each sheet a piece exactly eighteen 
inches square. Now cut a piece of strong brown 
paper, or bright colored paper if you wish, 
twenty inches square. Lay one piece of paste- 
board on this, so that the paper projects evenly 
an inch all around ; turn the edges of the paper 
over the pasteboard and paste it down firmly, 
so that the pasteboard is neatly covered with the 
paper. 

The other piece of pasteboard must be cov- 
ered in a like manner with white or very light 
colored paper. Glue these two boards together, 
with the paper outside. Use strong glue for this, 
and leave the double board under a heavy weight 
until perfectly dry. 

[ 127 ] 



PL1ASA:N^T D21Y DIYEESIONS 

Having your board thus prepared, you may 
proceed to mark the game upon it. On the white 
or light paper side of the board mark several 
pencil points exactly an inch from the edge on 
all sides. With these points for a guide, you 
may draw a firm, straight line an inch from the 
edge all around. 

In the same way draw another line half an 
inch from the edge of your board. These lines 
may be drawn with pen and ink, or with a brush 
and water colors. In any case, be careful to 
have them true and straight, and do not blur 
or blot the corners. 

Now on the inner line on each side of the 
square make pencil points exactly two inches 
apart. Connect these points across the board 
each way, and you will have sixty-four squares 
of equal size. Look at the illustration and you 
will see that every alternate one of these squares 
is blank. 

You may use your own pleasure in decorat- 
ing these blank squares. They may be left un- 
touched, or they may be covered by pasting over 
them two-inch squares of gilt paper, or paper 

[ 128 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

that will contrast prettily with the color you 
have already used. You may paste in the center 
of each a small gilt star, such as is used in pro- 
gressive euchre; or you may draw with pen and 





'ana 


NORTfi. 


•n 








FEAR. 
TO 

DESERTER. 




BATTLE 
OP 

BENMINGTON 




DIPLOMACY, 
ro LIEUTENANT 
COLONEL. 


c 


GENERAL 
25. 


LU 

i 




nOSPlTAL. 

LOSE ONE 

MOVE. 




COURAGE 

TO 
CAPTA\M 




CAPTAIN, 

5 




BATTLE 
OP 

MONMOUTH 








WOUNDED. 

TO 
HOSPITAL. 




TAKEN 
PRISONER. 
LOSE ONE 
MOVE. 




LIEUTENANT 

COLONEL. 

10. 




LIEUTENANT 
GENERAL. 

1 15. 




BATTLE 

OF 
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PLAINS 




SPY 




6ATTLE 
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PRINCETON 




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ao. 








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LlEUTEnANT 

5. 




KILLED! 
OUT OF TH£ 

CA^nE 




COLONEL. 
lO. 




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TO UEUTENfiNT 

OENERAL- 




BATTLE 

OP 
BUMKER 
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BATTLE 

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TREfSTON. 




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5. 




MAJOa 

GENERAL. 
lO. 








DUTY. 
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UEUTEISAIHT 




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LIEUTEMANI 
5. 




BATTLE OF 
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WINE. 




TRAITOR. 
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ENLIST- 
MENT 




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BRIGADIER- 

GENERAL 

10. 


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SOUTh 


! 



ink a little conventional design, or paint in 
water color a star or a tiny American flag. On 
the other squares you must write or print the 
words and figures as shown in the illustration. 

[129] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Paint or gild these words if you wish, but 
be sure to have them clear and readable. An- 
other way is to cut circles of white paper, two 
inches in diameter, mark these with the given 
words> and paste them on their respective 
squares. Then mark the directions, north, 
south, east, and west, and your board is done. 
The next thing required is a set of counters. 
Any number of people may 
play the game, so you may 
make as many counters as 
you wish. Take a bit of 
pasteboard three inches 
square, and on it draw a 
circle about two and three- 
quarters inches in diameter. 
With cross lines divide this circle into twenty 
compartments and number them, as in the illus- 
tration, from five to one hundred. 

Make a little arrow or dart one and one-half 
inches long of pasteboard. Fasten one end of 
this to the center of the circle, by taking a 
needle with a double thread knotted at the end 
and putting it through dart and card at the 

[ 130 ] 




PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

center. Draw it through until the knot fastens 
it on one side; cut off the needle and tie the 
two threads together several times, then cut 
them off short. This will hold the dart in place, 
but will allow it to slip from one number to the 
next. 

Of course, instead of these counters, you may 
keep score with a pencil and paper, but a 
counter is better. Another way is to use a crib- 
bage board, or make a counting board by boring 
twenty holes in a piece of wood and using bits 
of matches for pegs with which to count. 

Each player has one man, which he moves 
from square to square, according to the rules 
of the game. These men may be checkers or 
chessmen, or they may be little wooden or lead 
soldiers. All else that is necessary is a sufficient 
number of dice and dice boxes, so that each 
player may have one. 

To play the game, the players all throw their 
dice, and the highest throw plays first. Then 
the remaining players throw again and the 
highest plays next, until all have entered the 

[ 131 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

game, after which they play in rotation. The 
plays are governed by the following rules : 

If the dice falls with the one spot uppermost, 
the player may move his man on the board one 
square north or south ; two spot, one square east 
or west ; three spot, two squares north or south ; 
four spot, two squares east or west; five spot, 
one square diagonally; six spot, one square in 
any direction. A man must always be placed 
on the board at the southwest square marked 
^^Enlistmenf A man may not move to a square 
already occupied. 

To the last mentioned rule there is one excep- 
tion. When a man moves to a square contain- 
ing the direction "To Hospital,'^ "To Captain,'' 
etc., he must move at once to the square desig- 
nated and accept the fortune awaiting him there. 
And if the square to which he is sent be occu- 
pied, he may take it himself and send the pre- 
vious inhabitant back to "Enlistment.'' 

When a man goes to a square containing a 
number, he may add that number to his score 
on his counter, or if the direction be to lose a 

[132] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

certain number he must turn his count back bo 
much. 

The player first scoring one hundred wins the 
game. If only two are playing, they may, if they 
choose, play with two men each, keeping two 
scores each, and in every particular playing asi 
if there were four people. 

Where the direction is given to ^^lose one 
move,'' the unfortunate player must simply omit 
to play once when his turn comes. A few trials 
of the game will soon show the many opportuni- 
ties for clever play, and disclose many exciting 
situations. 



C 133 ]i 



THE GAME OF TRANSPOR- 
TATION 

THE outfit for this game is easily made, 
and though a little patience and per- 
severance are required to master its 
rules, yet, once learned, it will prove 
interesting enough to repay the trouble. 

To make the articles necessary for the game, 
you must first procure five blank cards. These 
may be of any size ; perhaps the size of an ordi- 
nary playing card is most convenient 

On the cards paint, draw, or in some way 
represent a locomotive, a steam-boat, an auto- 
mobile, a bicycle, and a wheelbarrow. The pic- 
tures may be as simple or as elaborate as you 
choose. A rough sketch will do quite as well as 
a finished drawing. 

Another way is to cut from advertisements 
or catalogues pictures representing the various 
means of transportation, and to paste them on 

[134] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the cards. If you want to make your game with, 
very little trouble, you can simply write the 
names on the cards. 

Having prepared the five cards, next provide 
eight small cubes of wood, measuring about half 
an inch in each direction. You can probably 
get these at any carpenter's shop. If the car- 
penter has an odd bit of wood, he will doubtless 
be willing to cut it into cubes for you. Or you 
may find some wooden cubes in an old box of 
building blocks. If, however, you cannot get 
wooden cubes, take eight good sized dice, which 
will answer your purpose almost as well. 

If you have plain wooden cubes, you may 
leave them unpainted, or, if you want your set 
to present a fine appearance, you may paint each 
one — all alike or with different colors — and let 
them dry thoroughly. Then on one side only 
of six of the cubes, mark or paint the numbers 
from one to six. This is, put one on one cube, 
two on the next, and so on. You can cut printed 
figures from a calender and paste them on the 
cubes if you cannot make sufficiently neat figures 
by hand. 

[135 31 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

On the two remaining cubes yon must draw, 
paint, or paste a representation of a steam-boat 
and a bicycle, one on each cube. If this is too 
difficult, simply mark an S on one cube, and a 
B on the other. Thus^ on each cube, five sides 
are left blank, and one side shows a figure or a 
letter. 

If you are obliged to use ordinary dice, paste 
a piece of paper neatly over the one spot on each 
dice, and on the paper mark your figures or 
letters. You must then consider all the other 
sides blank for the purposes of the game. 

Next, you must procure a dice box from which 
to throw the cubes. As they are more conven- 
ient for use when larger than the dice commonly 
used, a larger box is necessary. 

A baking powder box is appropriate for this 
purpose, and if you wash off its paper label and 
paint or gild the box, it is not unsightly to look 
upon. Still better is a pasteboard box of the 
same size and shape. 

The next requisite is a small wooden mallet 
or hammer, srch as an auctioneer might use. 
This is not indispensable, and though it adds to 

[ 136 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the attractiveness of the game^ a simple stick 
or ruler may be substituted. 

There is now nothing more to be provided ex- 
cept a box of counters. These counters may be 
beans, buttons, gun wads, or any similar small 
articles, of which you can easily procure a 
quantity; or they may be peanuts, grains of 
popped corn, or something which may be eaten 
at the conclusion of the game. 

To play the game, let any number of players 
sit round a table. Each player is provided with 
an equal number of counters, say fifty, though 
this number may be changed at pleasure. One 
of the players is chosen for auctioneer, and it is 
his duty to sell the five picture cards at auction. 
Before the selling begins, each player puts fif- 
teen counters in the middle of the table, thus 
forming what is called the General Stock. Then 
the auctioneer sells the cards, one at a time, to 
the highest bidder, and the counters paid for 
these cards are also put into the General Stock. 

With a bright boy or girl for auctioneer, the 
bidding may be very lively and exciting, and 
1137] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

when the auctioneer strikes his hammer on the 
table and announces "Gone!'' the card is sold. 

Each player may buy more than one card if 
he wishes, or he need not buy any, and it often 
turns out that he who buys no cards fares as 
well as he w^ho buys several. 

As to the value of the cards, the Locomotive 
is usually worth the most, but the chances of 
the game make it impossible for the cards to 
have a regular scale of value. The player who 
buys a card does so at his own risk. 

After the five cards are sold to the players, 
and the counters paid for them are deposited in 
the General Stock, the game begins. The auc- 
tioneer first throws the cubes from the box, and 
after his play is finished the player next to him 
on the left throws the cubes, and so on round 
the table, each player taking his turn. Or, if he 
wishes, a player may sell his throw for any num- 
ber of counters, after which the regular rota- 
tion proceeds. For instance, B may sell his 
throw to D. In such a case A plays, then D, 
then C, and then D again in his regular order. 

If, when the cubes are thrown, they all fall 
[ 138 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

with a blank side up, each player must pay one 
counter to the holder of the Locomotive, and he 
must pay one counter to the holder of the Wheel- 
barrow. 

If the cubes fall with the Steamboat or the 
Bicycle uppermost, and the numbered cubes all 
blank, then the holder of the Steamboat or the 
Bicycle must pay one counter to the holder of 
the Locomotive. But if the Steamboat and the 
Bicycle are hoth uppermost, and the numbered 
cubes are blank, then the holders of the Steam- 
boat and the Bicycle each pay one counter to the 
holder of the Automobile. 

Now, if the Steamboat or the Bicycle falls 
uppermost, and certain numbers fall uppermost 
also, the holder of the Steamboat or the Bicycle 
may take for himself from the General Stock as 
many counters as the sum of the numbers on 
the cubes. For instance, if the Steamboat and 3 
and 5 fall uppermost on the cubes, the holder 
of the Steamboat receives 8 counters from the 
General Stock. 

But if both Steamboat and Bicycle fall upper- 
most, accompanied by some numbers on the 
1 139 ] 



I^LEASANT DAY BIVEESIONS 

cubes, then the Automobile is entitled to the 
counters from the General Stock (as many as 
the sum of the numbers) , and the Steamboat and 
the Bicycle get nothing. , 

If numbers only show on the thrown cubes, 
then the player who threw them is entitled to 
the counters from the General Stock, as many 
as the sum of the numbers thrown. When so 
many counters have been won by the players 
that the General Stock is reduced to a small 
number, the rules change somewhat. 

If any player throws numbers whose sum is 
greater than the number of counters in the Gen- 
eral Stock, he can take nothing from the Stock, 
but must pay to the holder of the Wheelbarrow 
as many counters as the difference between the : 
number thrown and the number in the Stock. 
For instance, if a player throws numbers which ,; 
sum up eleven, and there are only seven counters 
in the General Stock, that player must pay four , 
counters to the holder of the Wheelbarrow. 
Of course, if he holds the Wheelbarrow himself, 
no payment is made. 

After the holder of the Wheelbarrow has re- i 
iC 140 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ceived one payment for the reason that the Gen- 
eral Stock did not hold sufficient counters to pay 
the player who threw the cubes, should all 
blanks be thrown, the players do not pay to the 
holder of the Locomotive, but the holder of the 
Locomotive pays one counter to the holder of 
the Wheelbarrow. 

Again, after this stage of the game is reached, 
if the Steamboat or the Bicycle cube is thrown, 
with blanks, the holder of Steamboat or Bicycle 
pays one counter to the holder of the Wheel- 
barrow. If toth Steamboat and Bicycle are 
thrown, with blanks, the holder of the Automo- 
bile pays one counter to the holder of the Wheel- 
barrow. But if the Steamboat or the Bicycle 
is thrown, with numbers, the holder of the 
Steamboat or the Bicycle must pay to the holder 
of the Wheelbarrow the difference between the 
number thrown and the number in the General 
Stock. Likewise, if the Steamboat and Bicycle 
are thrown, with numbers, the holder of the Au- 
tomobile must pay to the holder of the Wheel- 
barrow as many counters as the difference be- 

[141] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

tween the number thrown and the number in 
the General Stock. 

If at any time a player has not sufficient 
counters to continue the game, he may borrow 
of any one, and pay them back as soon as pos- 
sible. 

When any player takes the last counter from 
the General Stock, the game is ended, and he 
who has the greatest number of counters is the 
winner. 

Supposing, for instance, that only four coun- 
ters are in the General Stock. If the numbers 
on the cubes thrown necessitate a payment of 
more than four, the General Stock is left un- 
touched and payments are made between the 
players as above stated. If the numbers thrown 
call for a payment of less than four, the players 
entitled to counters receive them from the Gen- 
eral Stock. But if the number of counters to 
be paid is exactly four^ then the four are paid 
out and the game is finished. The players then 
count their counters, and he who has the most 
has won the game. Although several plays may 
be made without using the few counters left in 

[ 142 1 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the General Stock, yet the very fact that there 
are so few in the Stock causes the players them- 
selves to hold a large number, and they are, of 
course, able to make the necessary payments. 
And sooner or later a throw will be made which 
clears the Stock and concludes the game. 

These directions, at first reading, may seem 
very complicated and uninteresting. You will 
soon find, however, if you begin the game, that 
it is not diflSicult at all, but that it proves more 
fascinating every time it is played. The ups 
and downs of fortune are very amusing, and a 
player may change from wealth to poverty with 
astonishing rapidity. Of course, it goes without 
saying that strict honesty and unfailing good 
nature are necessary to make the game a success. 



1:143] 



OVER THE BALUSTER 

A MONOLOGUE 

SCENE: An upper hall and the baluster 
of a winding stair-case. From below 
there come sounds of an orchestra play- 
ing ^^Won't You Come Out and Play 
With Me.'' From a chamber door enters Mar- 
jorie, in a blue bathrobe over her nightdress, 
and blue bedroom slippers. She holds a large 
doll in her arms and steps softly, looking cau- 
tiously about. 

^^Oh, goody! Nobody's here! I just couldn't 
stay in bed when I heard that music!" {Hums 
with the music and dances about softly.) 

^^Oh, the day I w^ent to see that opera ! I think 
it was an opera; but anyway it was lovely. We 
went early, and at first all I could see was a 
darkish sort of light, and a big, wrinkly cur- 
tain; and the boxes were all full of spindle- 
legged white chairs that looked exactly as if they 
[144] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

were the skeletons of people wKo sat there ever 
so long ago. 

"Then the music began. All the violins and 
flutes played together, and it was just like a big 
wave of sounding glory, and it made me feel 
all quivery, as if my soul would burst from my 
body and fly away. Then the curtain went up, 
and everything happened at once. It was just 
one great group of sparkle, and a princely lady 
came in and stalked around like this^ and then 
she flung herself down and died ! Oh, it was the 
funniest thing I ever saw! I wish mamma 
would let me go to the opera oftener. I hardly 
ever can go to things, and I^m 'most sixteen — 
that is, I'm nearly half of it or more. 

"Now the music has stopped. I can hear them 
laughing and talking downstairs. Keep still, 
Emily Augusta, they'll hear you ! Are you cold? 
There, dear, don't cry; little mother will walk 
you. There, there, baby heart, go to sleep in 
mother's arms. We'll go back to bed in a 
minute; but little mother wants to hear just one 
more pretty music. Oh, they're playing ^Kiss 
Me Good-night, Dear Love.' Aunt Ethel sings 

[145] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

that so sweetly! I can sing it, too. I'll 
sing it to you, Emily Augusta, if you'll go to 
sleep/' {Sings doll to sleep ^ and lays it on a 
couch near hy, ) 

^^Oh, how gay it sounds downstairs! The 
lovely gentlemen are prancing around, and the 
lovely ladies are all decked out with flowers and 
jewelry. It must be splendid to be a young lady, 
and have young men send you boxes of roses 
with the stems sticking out of the end of the 
box, and violets tied up with cord and tassels. 
I don't care so much for violets; but the cord 
and tassels are lovely to trim dolls' hats. Aunt 
Ethel gives me all of hers." (Listens.) 

"That's her voice now. I hear her smiling. 
Oh, my Aunt Ethel is the loveliest thing! I'm 
glad mother gave this dance for her, because 
Aunt Ethel let me go to her room and see her 
dress, and she does look so sweet, dressing. 
And such a beauty frock as she put on ! It was 
white, and sprinkled all over with embrodiery 
all full of tiny blue stones, just like turquoise 
measles, and it had the longest train, and such 
a low neck — that falling-off effect on the shoul- 

[ 146 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ders, you know! Oh, Aunt Ethel did look so 
sweet ! And her flowers ! 

"Ever so many men sent her flowers. She let 
me open the boxes — ^^all except Mr. Phillips' — she 
opened that herself. And in it were the big- 
gest pink roses in the world. Oh, such beau- 
ties! And what do you think? Aunt Ethel put 
her face right down into them so, and nearly 
spoiled them. 

"But that's Aunt Ethel there, and I guess she 
doesn't care much for Mr. Phillips^ 'cause when- 
ever he sends her flowers she doesn't try to keep 
them nice and neat; but just kisses them and 
worries them till they're good for nothing. 

"I think there ought to be a cemetery for poor 
little dead flowers; they're too pretty to throw 
away. 

"Well, she broke the heads ofl: of two or three 
of her big pink roses, she was so rambunctious. 
And, anyway, when roses are cold, when they 
just come in from the street, their heads break 
off awful easy. I'm glad children aren't like 
that. S'pose when I came in from my walk all 

[147] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

cold and rosy, and mamma kissed me, s'pose my 
head snapped off ! 

"Oh, hear that lovely waltz V^ {Hums ^^La, la, 
la, la, la, la/^ and dances about.) 

"I wish I could be downstairs in it all, instead 
of up here alone with only a doll, and her sound 
asleep. 

"I am going to peep over the banister ; maybe 
I can see Aunt Ethel.^' Goes cautiously to balus- 
ter, and peeps over, then turns away laughing, 
with her hand over her mouth. "Oh, it^s so 
funny to see the tops of people's heads like that ! 
I never saw people before from the top. It^s just 
like I was in Heaven looking back to earth.^' 
{Looks again.) 

"Oh, there's Mr. Griswold, and he's so bald! 
From here his head looks just like a big, flat 
mushroom. I don't see how he ever gets it all 
under one hat, unless it's a big picture hat like 
Aunt Ethel's. 

"Oh, he's looking up ! He must have heard me 
giggle. Now he's fixing his eye-glass-— he's only 
got one. I suppose his other eye is made of 

[148] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

glass/' (Imitates him.) "I wonder why he uses 
his mouth so much to get his eye-glass in place. 

"Now he's gone. Oh, there's Mr. Bentley and 
Mrs. Vanderveer ! Her gown has that f alling-off 
effect, too! Gracious! I should think it had! 
From here she looks just like a roll-top desk — 
one of those very light oak ones. Mr. Bentley 
has funny hair — it's so thick and light brown 
and bushy and bristly. I never saw the top of 
it before. Why, it's just like a door-mat. I 
should think he'd have ^Welcome' cut in it, or 
else his street number. 

"Now they're gone. This is just like a parade. 
I never had such fun ! If only nobody comes up 
here! 

"Oh-ho, there's Aunt Ethel! Isn't she beau- 
tiful? From here she looks lovely — like a big 
blue-and-white cream puff. Only it shows where 
that new hair wave of hers joins her pompadour; 
but of course, that doesn't show to people down- 
stairs. Who is that with her? Oh, Mr. Den- 
ning ! She doesn't like him a bit, I know. She 
hardly looked at the flowers he sent her. Vio- 
lets, they were, tied with a lot of lavender gauze 

[149] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ribbon. Isn't it queer how you can tell where 
flowers come from by the things they have tied 
on them? Of course, you can tell by the box, 
too, and to-morrow I'm to have that gauze rib- 
bon to trim Emily Augusta's new hat — ^Aunt 
Ethel said so. 

^^Her pink roses are keeping pretty good. Oh, 
there's one just broken off now, and it fell smash 
on the floor! She didn't see it, though. Now 
she's gone, and that lovely big rose is just lying 
there. I wish I had a bent pin and a string, and 
I'd hook it up. 

^^Here comes Miss Daisy French. Why, she 
has picked up Aunt Ethel's rose! I'm glad she 
did. Poor little rose ! I shouldn't want it to be 
all trampled to pieces. 

^^Miss Daisy is awful thin ; she ought to drink 
milk or take a massage or something ; and she's 
silly, too. Now Mr. Denning has come, and she's 
rolling her eyes at him awfully. This way, you 
know. 

"Aunt Ethel doesn't act like that; she's just 
natural. Oh, Aunt Ethel is so sweet ! 

[150] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

"Now Miss Daisy is talking to Mr. Denning. 
She's supposed to be awful witty.'' (Listens.) 

"Oh," with an air of disgust, "she said : ^Next 
time I fall in love, I think it will be with you.' 
Now, isn't that silly?" (Listens again.) 

"And Mr. Denning said : ^Oh, thank you ; but 
the line at the box ofllce is already so long, and 
I'm not very patient.' 

"Isn't that witty? That's what they call 
repartee. They always talk that way at parties. 

"Now, Miss Daisy said : ^This is an earnest of 
it.' I wonder what an earnest is. 

"Now she is putting the rose in his buttonhole. 
Why, that's Aunt Ethel's rose! She wouldn't like 
to have Mr. Denning wear it; but then she has 
plenty more, and Aunt Ethel's awful generous. 

"Now they've gone away, rose and all. I wish 
some more people would come. That's such a 
cosy little place down there in the corner of the 
stair-landing. It's a real cosy-corner. Papa 
hates it, says it looks like ^put up complete for 
$3.69' ; but mother thinks it's artistic, and Aunt 
Ethel says it looks as if it would tumble down 
every minute; but it's a good flirting place. I 

[ 151 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

suppose it is ; but when I grow up I^m not going 
to flirt under a lot of wobbly old tin spears 
and helmets, and dusty old Turkish draperies — 
they're awful dusty from up here^ — I want some- 
thing more romantic. 

^^I'm not going to be silly when I grow up. I 
shall be haughty and high-born, like a princess 
or an actress. I shall walk around all proud 
like this, and wear high-heeled slippers and a 
bead chain with tassels on. And when the young 
men come to see me, I shall hold my hand away 
out, so, and the young man will kiss it and say, 
^Oh, Princess, live forever !' and immediately I'll 
live forever. 

^Then I'll say : ^I pray you sit,' and of course, 
he'll sit. Oh, it will be perfectly lovely ! I wish 
it was now; and now I've nothing but trouble. 
I'm so young, and I'm so hungry, and my gold- 
fish is sick besides. 

^^The worst thing is being so young, and then 
mamma always wants to make me out even 
younger, at least she does on the street-cars. 
Why, yesterday, we were going across town, and 
we didn't have any transfers. We'd been out all 

[152] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the morning, and we had had so many transfers 
that our trip was a regular plaid ; but this time 
we didn't have any, and mamma said she wasn't 
going to pay for me; she'd say I was five years 
old. So when the conductor came along, mamma 
gave him five cents, and he said awful cross: 
^How old is the child?' and mamma said five 
years old, and the conductor looked at me; but 
I had scrouched all down in the seat, and pulled 
my frock up to my knees, and I put my finger in 
my mouth, and said : ^Mamma !' just like a baby. 
And that conductor just grunted and went on. 
But mamma spoiled it all by giggling." {Looks 
over the 'baluster again.) 

"Oh, there's Mrs. Hopkins! She does wear the 
stunningest clothes ! I don't see how they fitted 
that solid jet all over her. She's a funny lady. 
They say she can't talk grammar, and I don't 
believe she knows much about geography. 
Mamma says she is a cat. Aunt Ethel says she 
is a climber, and papa always calls her ^that 
glittering atrocity.' From here she doesn't look 
like anything but a big jet cloud with a silk 
Jining. 

[153]! 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

"Now she's gone, and, oh, goody ! Here's Aunt 
Ethel again, and Mr. Phillips is with her. I 
guess they're both happy ; but they don't look so. 
Why, I wonder what's the matter. Aunt Ethel 
looks as if she was going to cry. Why, I do be- 
lieve Mr. Phillips is scolding her! Oh, isn't he 
horrid?" {Listens and her eyes open wide in 
indignation. ) 

"He said : ^And Denning is wearing one of the 
roses I sent you !' 

And Aunt Ethel just said: '^Yes?' in that icy 
little way of hers. Oh, why doesn't she tell hiin 
that she didn't give her rose to that horrid man? 
I'd tell him myself if I dared ; but if they catch 
me up here they'll send me to bed. 

^^Now Mr .Phillips is talking to her again. He 
says : ^You care so little for my flowers, why do 
you wear them at all?' 

"And Aunt Ethel just looks down and picks at 
the flowers. Oh, she is exasperating ! She looks 
awful pretty though, except that place on top of 
her head where hey false wave shows; but Mr. 
Phillips can't see that. I think she's silly to 
wear it anyway; she has just lovely hair of her 

[ 154 1 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

own; but she says she can't have that fashion- 
able Marcel effect without wearing it. 

"Oh, Mr. Phillips said : Why did you give it 
to him, Ethel?' in such a tragic tone! Oh, isn't 
it lovely! I think he's going to kill himself or 
propose to her, or something! I'm so glad I'm 
here ! 

"Now Aunt Ethel's looking at him like that 
big marble lady in the art gallery — Medea, I 
think her name ts. Gracious, she looks as if 
she'd bite his head off! I don't see what she's 
so mad about. 

" ^Let me pass, please, Mr. Phillips!' Oh, 
auntie, what a goose you are! ^Let me pass, 
please, Mr. Phillips!' and she's walking away 
like this." (Holding hack her skirt, and vnth 
her chin high in the air^ Marjorie stajks off in- 
dignantly. Then she returns and looks over the 
haluster again.) 

"Oh, that poor Mr. Phillips, he's still standing 
there, so despairful. It's a shame for him to 
think that Aunt Ethel gave that rose to Mr. Den- 
ning. I wish I could tell him she didn't! 
Ahem!" {whispers.) "Mr. Phillips. He can't 

[155] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

hear me, on account of the music playing. Oh, 
Mr. Denning has come, and he's talking to him. 
I can't hear what he says ; but he's laughing like 
everything. It must be a good joke, he laughs so 
hard. Now, Mr. Phillips is laughing too ; but it's 
different — he's laughing as if his heart would 
break, I suppose it makes him feel so awful to 
see that pink rose in Jack Denning's buttonhole. 
Now Mr. Denning has gone, and Mr. Phillips 
looks as sad as my wax doll that got her face 
melted. I must tell him about that rose. 

"Ahem — ^ahem-m-m-m! Mister Phillips! Oh, 
he can't hear me, and I dare not speak any 
louder ! I wish I could drop something down on 
his head." Looks around. "I don't see anything 
to drop." Looks in bathrobe pocket. "No, I left 
my handkerchief under my pillow." Looks in 
other pocket. "Oh, here's Emily Augusta's bon- 
net ; this will do, it's such a light thing." Drops 
bonnet over baluster. "Oh, it struck him square 
on the head. Now he's looking up and smiling 
at me." (Whispers.) "Mr. Phillips, don't look 
up; but just listen to me. Can you hear me? 
Well, Aunt Ethel did not give that rose to Mr. 

[ 156 ]: 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Denning ! Oh, yes, I do know what I'm talking 
about ! That rose broke off Aunt EtheFs bunch 
and fell to the floor, and Miss Daisy French 
picked it up and put it in Mr. Denning's button- 
hole. 

^^Look down, quick, there's somebody coming!" 
{Marjorie draws hack and crouches behind 
haluster, then rising again^ peeps cautiously 
over.) "Have they gone? Well, anyhow, Mr. 
Phillips, it was all Miss French's fault — she did 
it on purpose. Why? Because she doesn^t like 
Aunt Ethel. Well you are stupid, because Miss 
Daisy likes you, herself, and she thinks you like 
Aunt Ethel. You do, don't you? Yes, I thought 
so, and Aunt Ethel likes you, too. You just 
ought to have seen her kiss your flowers when 
they came! She broke off two or three then, 
they were so cold, you know; but Mr. Denning 
didn't get those — I got them myself. Now, you 
go and hunt Aunt Ethel, and tell her that it's all 
right. She's so stuck up, you know, she never 
would tell you; but I know she thinks you're 
unjust to her, and that's an awful thing for a 
young man to be to a young lady. And look 

1 157 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

here, Mr. Phillips, wait a minute; you'll be un- 
just to me if you tell that I'm up here! I was 
sent to bed, you know ; but I just couldn't sleep, 
with that lovely music playing. 

^^Now, he's gone away. 

"Oh, here he comes back again, and Aunt 
Ethel is with him." (Listens.) 

"He is saying : ^Why did you let me think you 
gave that rose to Denning, when you knew how 
much I cared?' 

"Oh, isn't that romantic! I think Mr. Phil- 
lips is perfectly lovely! 

"Now Aunt Ethel is speaking ; but she doesn't 
look at him. She is just looking down at those 
everlasting roses; but she looks awful pretty. 

"She is saying : ^How could you think I would 
do such a thing, when you knew — how ' 

" ^How you cared? Oh, Ethel, do you care, 
just a little?' 

"Now it's up to Aunt Ethel ! Oh, isn't it ex- 
citing? Why, she doesn't look at him yet; she 
just smells of those roses. Mr. Phillips, Mis-ter 
Phil-lips, she does care! Honest, she does! 

"Oh, yes, I'm here yet. No, I don't want to go 
[158] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

to bed! What? A whole box of chocolates? 
And a new French doll? To-morrow? Well, 
all right, then I'll go away. But you promise 
not to tell that I was here. All right. Good- 
night ! 

"I don't want to go to bed a bit ; but a whole 
box of chocolates, and a new French doll ! Come 
on, Emily Augusta, well go/' 



[ 159 ] 



HILAEITY HALE 

OR THE 

BEOTHERHOOD OF BACHELORS. 
A Musical Farce in Three Acts. 

THE play opens at Robin^s Nest, where 
we are introduced to six Sisters who 
are under the chaperonage of Gabriella, 
formerly the Prioress of the Convent 
Belles Sisterhood. 

She, having eloped with the Burglar, Mr. 
Robin Steele, has taken the Sisters to live with 
her in her new home, on condition that they 
share the domestic labors. 

They find these duties irksome, while Mr. and 
Mrs. Robin Steele, on their part, consider the 
Sisters' tastes extravagant. 
A Brotherhood of Bachelors, to which Robin, 
[ 160 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

under the title of Brother Benedicktus, formerly 
belonged, is in the vicinity. 

From here the plot thickens, and only those 
of the audience who remain until the end of the 
play can unravel its intricacies. 

CAST 

"Condemn the fault and not the actor of it." 

— Shakespeare. 

EoBiN Steele, Esq., 
A Burglar, Otherwise Brother Benedicktus, 

Bawling Brothers, 

HiLARius Erraticus Preposterus 

EoBusTicus Pugnatius Anonymus 

Mrs. Robin Steele, 

A Chaperon, Otherwise Sister Gabriella, 

Shrieking Sisters, 

Angelina Cherubina Beatipica 

Celestina Seraphina Gloriana. 

[161] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

SYNOPSIS 

Act I. — Morning Room at Eobin^^ Nest. 
"A man's a man for a' that.'' — Burns. 

Act II. — Hilarity Hall. 

"Fate's a fiddle; life's a dance." 

— Henley. 

Act III. — Garden at Robin's Nest. 
"The best-laid schemes o' mice 
and men Gang aft a-gley.'^ 
— Burns. 

The action of this play occurs in the morning, 
afternoon and evening of the same day. 

ACT I 

Time. Morning. 

Scene. Morning-room at Robin's Nest. 
( The Sisters are discovered lazily fanning and 
singing.) 

CHORUS^ 

Waft, waft in slow, sweet cadences, 
Each fan whose use a maiden's is. 
More worthy praise, in summer days, 

Than needle, spoon or pen. 
* Air from ** Utopia, Limited," by Gilbert & SuHiyan, 
[162] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Touch lightly each resounding string, 
Oh, Wandering Minstrel, while we sing 
Of hearts by fate made desolate 
And of the Now and Then. 

Waft, waft in slow, sweet cadances. 
Each fan whose use a maiden's is; 

SOLO 
Celestina. 
Time was when we could sit and gaze 

On sunset gleam and placid stream ; 
But now have come quite other days 

Of fret and moil, and ceaseless toil. 

CHOEUS 

Our daily task we must not shirk, 
Our Chaperon keeps us hard at work; 
So hard at work ; so hard at work 

Beatifica. Well, I don't know what you all 
think, but it seems to me we didn't gain much 
by leaving the Nunnery, and coming to live at 
Robin's Nest. 

[163] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

They promised us rare fun — 

Seraphina. It couldn't very well be rarer — I 
haven't seen any! 

Angelina. Nor I ! What seems fun to them — 

Glierubina. Seam's fun to them! Well, a 
seam's no fun to me. I shall never finish this, 
it isn't even turned down yet — 

Gloriana. It's a long seam that has no turn- 
ing — But 

Once there was a little girl who wouldn^t sew 
her seam, 

And when she went to sleep that night she had 
an awful dream — 

She thought a great big monster came and hov- 
ered o'er her head. 

His claws were made of needles, and his tail 
was made of thread. 

And he whisked her off to a lonely isle, where 
the thimble-berries grow, 

And there, hemmed in by cotton-trees, she had 
to sit and sew 

So be careful, Oherubina, and mind what you are 
about, 

[ 164 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

For the Chaperon^ll catch you if you 

Don't 
Watch 
Out! 

But, Sisters, are we going to stand this inces- 
sant grind? It's nothing but work, work, work, 
from morning till night! Let's wind up the 
works, and strike ! 

Celestina. Happy thought, we'll boycott the 
Burglar ! 

Cherubina. And we'll hold up the Chaperon's 
train. 

Angelina, Six walking delegates! 

Seraphina. With walking-papers. 

Beatifica. It's a delegate matter. 

Gloriana. It's a striking situation. The hour 
has come! We have submitted too long to the 
Chaperon's fell designs, and we revolt! We 
want out rights, our whole rights, and nothing 
but our rights. Are we to be simply machines, 
sewing-machines, treadled by the iron foot of the 
Chaperon? 

All No! 

Gloriana. Are we to be nothing but human 
[165] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

needles, ground on the oppressor's emery wheel 
to the point of desperation? 

All No! 

Gloriana. Are we to be as wax in her hands, 
making the seamy side of life easy sewing for 
her? 

All No! 

Gloriana. Or shall we rise, fling aside this 
white, washed witness to our woe, thr6w off our 
thimbles, sheathe our scissors, and drop — 

{Enter Chaperon.) 

OHOEUS^ 

When Time trudges, and the days 

Long and weary seem, ah ! 
Then each maid her skill displays ; 

Bright the needles gleam, ah! 

Trouble's tatters we repair, 
Mend the raveled sleeve of care. 
Gather up Life's loosened threads, 
And snip our sorrows into shreds, 

Our sorrows into shreds. 
* Air from ** Princess Ida," by Gilbert and SuUivan, 
[166] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

It^s sew, sew, sew, sew, 

Sew, sew, sew^ 
So long as Time extends it, 
Till the Fury with the shears 

Cuts the thread and ends it. 

Gabriella (recitative).^ 
My sisters all, it gives me satisfaction, 
To see you sitting sewing so demurely; 
It seems to me you find great pleasure in it, 
A pure delight, a wild exhilaration. 
^All. We do. 
Gahrielle, 
That being so, I think it is my duty 
To moderate your transports so hilarious, 
And soothe your high-strung nerves by manual 

labor ; 
By wholesome, healthy, honest manual labor; 
And so betake yourselves into the garden 
With rakes and trowels, hoes and spades and 

shovels; 
Into the bowery, flowery, showery garden 
Go thither, Sisters! 

J^Eweunt Sisters.)] 

* Air from " Utopia Limited." 

1 163! I 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Gabriella (soliloquizing). Oh, unhappy that 
I am, forced by a relentless fate to wear this 
mask of tragedy, when all my features are con- 
structed upon the light-comedy plan. (Looking 
in mirror.) Now just look at them! Brow — 
certainly not made for brow-beating. Eyes — 
nothing cross about those eyes. Nose — distinct- 
ly soubrette. My blooming cheek ! Lips — made 
for laughter, not for lectures. And the whole 
effect — light-comedy, absurdly light-comedy ! 
And yet they expect me to be a matronly model 
for six sprightly specimens of modern young 
womanhood. I stifle in this polluting atmos- 
phere of prudery and precision, and breathe 
again only in moments of freedom like these. 

{Sings.) 

CHAPERON'S SONG^ 

I'm the Chaperon, gay and frisky, 

And the role that I have to play, 
Is decidedly rash and risky, 

And I know I'll slip up some day. 
* Air, The •* Kerry Dance." 

1 168 ]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Wlien the girls are all around me, 

I'm as staid as a cup of tea; 
And my prudish airs astound me 

When I think of what I can be 

Oh, my prudery! Oh, my dignity! 

And what I can be ! 
I^m the Chaperon, gay and frisky ; 

And the role that I have to play, 
Is decidedly rash and risky, 

And I know I'll slip up some day. 

Oh, it's slow, when we all sit round in state ; 
Eyes cast down and our faces long and straight ; 
Prim and staid, our manners quite correct ; 
All approach to frivolousness checked. 

I assume a pedantic pose. 

But at heart I feel — 

I'm the Chaperon, gay and frisky, etc., etc. 

{Enter Robin Steele.) 

Robin. My dear! the girls! Why this ex- 
cessive frivolity? You forget yourself I 

[ 169 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Gahriella. Forget myself? I am trying to re- 
member myself as I was in those happy, happy 
days before our marriage. Ah, me ! 

Bobin. Happy days, indeed. No bills 

Look at this. (Producing bills.) 

Gahriella. Mine? Well, I'm sure they're very 
reasonable. 

Robin. No, those miserable girls! 

Qahriella. Oh, what shocking extravagance ! 

DUET^ 

Gahriella and Rohin. 
R. Gahriella, my exchequer's getting low. 
G. Robin, dear, for that I'm surely not to blame. 
R, 'Tis appalling to consider what I owe. 
G. And the way those girls run bills up is a 

shame. 
R. I can never face our creditors severe. 
(?. You must leave that mission delicate to me. 
R. Well, just hint how you would act, should 

one appear. 
G. That depends on what his attitude may be. 
R. If he exercises tact, how will Gahriella act? 
» Air from *• The Gaiety Girl." 

[170] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

G. She an equal act will show, just like that, 

don't you 'know? 
B. If he threatens that he'll sue, what will Ga- 

briella do? 
G. Then contemptuous she'll grow, just like 

that^ don't you know? 
Both. And as long as we've got our answer pat, 
don't you know? 
We'll pooh-pooh our obligations just like 
thaty don't you know? 

R. Gabriella, I am very much perplexed. 
G. Robin, dear, you look decidedly upset. 
R. I'm afraid those girls Avill never be annexed. 
G. Oh, cheer up, we're sure to get them married 

yet. 
R. I can never hope to get them off^ our hands. 
G. That's another mission you must leave to me. 
R. What will you do, if a suitor pleading 

stands? 
G. That depends on what his bank account may 

be. 
R. If a millionaire should woo, what would 

Gabriella do? 

[171] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

G. She would genially glow, just like that, 

don't you know? 
R. Should the Sister smile on he^ where would 

Gabriella be? 
G. Why, of course, she would lie low, just like 

that^ don't you know? 
Both. If the suitor should be talking through 
his hat, don't you know? 
We will pin him to his promise, just like 
that^ don't you know? 

Rohin (reads) . For Seraphina, one silk waist, 
boned. Well, if it was honed, 1 don't see why 
they charge |27 for it. 

Gabriella (reads). Gloves for Beatifica, $18. 
Ten per cent. off. Why, that's funny. Do they 
charge less for gloves off than on? 

Rohin (reads). Ten yards plaid gingham. 
Fast colors, warranted not to run. H'm, can't be 
very fast if they don't run. 

Gabriella (reads). Hat, |75. High hats are 
evidently the style this season. Wrap for Glori* 
ana. 

Rohin. I'm glad she got a rap. She needs it. 
[172] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Total, one hundred and fifty dollars and no cents. 
No sense, I should think so. I'll be ruined if this 
keeps on. You know how hard the times are. 
There's positively nothing in the burglary busi- 
ness this winter. It's almost impossible to make 
collections. All the money is in the banks, and 
so hard to get at. 

(Sings.) 

BOBBIN' A BANK^ 

I am a burglar bold, 

Fearless and frank; 
From Fate's insistent hold, 

Fortunes I yank. 
When honest people sleep, 
When the cats their vigils keep, 
Forth on my raids I creep, 

Eobbin' a bank. 

What's petty larceny to 

Bobbin' a bank? 
What is sneak-thievery to 

Bobbin' a bank? 
* Air '-Robin Adair." 

1 173 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

How else is burglary 
What if s cracked up to be? 
Herein is joy for me, 
Bobbin' a bank. 

Here meet^ on boodle bent^^ 

Men of each rank. 
Burglar and President, 

Cashier and Crank. 
Then when the deed is done, 
Canada- ward we run; 

Oh, but it's lots of fun, 

Bobbin' a bank. 

Robin. Well, this won't do for me, I must be 
off. (Looking at watch.) I can't take any more 
time. 

Gabriella (laughing). I should think not, 
you've stolen three watches this week already. 
Where are you going this morning? 

Robin. Meeting of Directors — Burglar's Safe 
Insurance Company. There are so many absurd 
precautions observed by capitalists, of late, that 
we men of principle must look out for our inter- 

[ 174 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ests. We have started a company for supplying 
ingenuous bankers with our new, patent, double- 
action, self-opening safes, each one of which we 
test, and send out, absolutely hiirglar -proof. 
Good-by, my dear. 

Gahriclla. Good-by. Take care 

Rohin. Yes, I'll take anything I can lay my 
hands on. 

Gahriella. I'll walk to the gate with you. 

(Exeunt.) 

CHOEUS OF SISTERS^ 

(Behind scene.) 
Come we from the sun-lit garden 

At our Chaperon's behest, 
Our hats and gowns with glowing flowers 

Fantastically drest. 

We have lifted drooping violets. 

We have gazed in pansies' eyes, 
We have wakened sleepy poppy-heads, 

And marked their shy surprise. 
* Air, *' My Lady^s Bower/' 

[175] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

We have whispered to the lilies 

Of roses' revelry ; 
And the daffodils grew yellow 

With affected jealousy. 

We tried fox-gloves on our fingers, 

Lady-slippers on our feet, 
Tied our hair with ribbon-grasses 

Fastened with a marguerite. 

And the sun, with rays audacious, 
Laughed into our dazzled eyes; 

As light-heartedly we frolicked 
With the bees and butterflies. 

And the flickering shadows joined our dance, 
And the south-wind's rhythmic swell 

Softly blew the trumpet-flower, and 
Eang the Canterbury-bell. 

Then the sun-kissed flowers grew sleepy, 
Lulled to languor with the breeze; 

And the shortening shadows vanished 
Underneath the quiet trees. 
[176] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

So we left the sun-lit garden 
To the brown bees' drowsy drone, 

And we wandered back, flour-laden, 
To greet the Chaperon. 

{Enter Sisters.) 

Beatifica. Why, she isn't here ! ^ 

Chenihina. Well, that's a good thing; now 
we'll have a chance to discuss our new gowns. 

Sqfaphina. Hark, I hear them outside. What 
are they saying? Listen ! 

Rohin (outside, to Gahriella). Yes, its per- 
fectly outrageous, the way those girls insist on 
running up bills at every shop in town. I can- 
not stand it! They are extravagant wretches! 
They mtist not buy so many new gowns. And 
the jeweler's bill has just come in. How much 
do you think it is? 

THE BUKGLE SONG. 
Seraphina. 
The Burglar blows about the clothes. 

And costly jewels the girls are getting ; 
He swears, and scowls, and groans and growls^ 
His previous contract sore regretting. 
[177] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Blow, Burglar, Blow, 

Send the wild sisters flying, 

Blow, Burglar, answers echoes 
Flying, Flying, Flying. 

Oh, hark ! oh, hear ! how loud and clear, 
And louder, nearer, madder growing. 

With direful threats about his debts, 
The blustering Burglar still is blowing. 

Blow, Burglar, Blow, 

Send the wild sisters flying, 

Blow, Burglar, answers echoes 
Sighing, Sighing, Sighing. 

Although his tread may wake the dead. 
Although his voice with rage may quiver, 

We'll never stop, from shop to shop, 
We'll buy forever and forever. 

Blow, Burglar, Blow, 

Send the wild sisters flying, 

Blow, Burglar, answer sisters, 

Buying, Buying, Buying. 

[178] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Cherubina. Yes, we'll go shopping for new 
gowns to-morrow. 
Angelina. I have some samples for mine. 
All. So have I. 

CHOEUS. 

Sing a song of samples, 

A pocket full of stuff. 
Four and twenty patterns, 

But we haven't got enough. 
When the shops are open. 

The girls begin to flock. 
Isn't that a pretty piece 

To make a pretty frock? 

The Burglar's in the tantrums, 

'Cause we spend his money ; 
The Chaperon's in a fidget, 

'Cause creditors are dunny ; 
The sisters are in clover, 

As you may suppose. 
Sitting on the parlor floor 

Choosing summer clothes. 
[179] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Ceiestina. What do you think of this, trim- 
med with lace? 

Angelina. A frill round the neck, and very 
large sleeves — 

Beatifica. Blue spots on a white ground — 

Cheruhina. This will wash ; the shopkeeper 
told me so. 

Seraphina. How does this color suit me? 

Ceiestina. I suppose ten yards will be enough? 

Angelina. What about overskirts? 

Beatifica. I shall have it tailor-made. 

Seraphina. Green is very trying. 

Cheruhina. With ruffles cut on the bias. 

Angelina. After all, what a prominent part 
dress plays in the drama of life. 

Cheruhina. Sister Angelina feels inspired, I 
see it in her eye. 

Beatifica. The floor for Sister Angelina! 

All. Hear! Hear! 

MONOLOGUE. 

Angelina. 

All the world's a stage, 
And all the men and women merely players; 

[180] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

But lovely woman with her witching wiles, 
Far better acts her part than awkward man ; 
With clever, ready wit she takes her cues, 
Adapts herself to each and every role, 
Is sad or merry, grave or gay at will ; 
Enacts with equal ease the pert soubrette, 
Or blushing ingenue, or tragic queen. 
And in her time plays many various parts. 
Her acts being seven ages. 

At first the infant 
Noting the ribbons on her nurse's cap. 
And then the school-girl with her shining braidsi 
And spotless pinafore ; conning her task, 
Rising from form to form, until she blooms 
In cap and gown, a sweet girl-graduate. 
And then the lovely debutante, all smiles. 
And airy chiffon gown and ribbons Avliite, 
And flowers and fans, and just a trace or two 
Of sentiment embodied in a note, 
Or faded flower, or treasured photograph. 
And then the beauteous belle of all the ball- 
rooms. 
Heroine of several winters; clever, cool, 
Graciously kind to foreign noblemen, 

[181] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Seeking a title role, lest she remain, 

As now, a peerless beauty. Then the bride, 

In fair, white, trailing robes, with orange blooms, 

Priceless ancestral lace, and family pearls. 

With blushing, downcast glance, and modest 

mein, 
Unthinking yows, "Love, honor and obey/^ 
And then the widow in her dainty weeds. 
Whose youthful charms and coquette glance belie 
Her stalwart sons. Her matron's voice 
Turning again to the happy girlish tones, 
So well she plays her part. Last scene of all. 
That ends this strange, eventful history. 
The dowager, with jewels and feathers decked. 
Eager to gossip, eager too, to hear 
The latest scandal. Seeing everything 
Through glasses darkly. Charming to the last, 
A wondrous masterpiece of modern art. 
False teeth, false hair, false skin, false every- 
thing. 

{Enter Gloriana.) 

Gloriana. 'Sh! 

Celestina. What has happened? 

Gloriana. Listen, I was in the garden, alone 
[182] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

with Nature; I was at one with Nature. The 
merry little birds sang ; so did I, The brook bab- 
bled ; so did I. Time passed along ; so did I. The 
sun beamed; so did I. Suddenly the universal 
harmony was jarred by a discordant note. Na- 
ture and I felt intruded upon. Who could be the 
intruder? A poplar lifted its head above the gar- 
den wall ; so did I. We shivered. I stood rooted 
to the spot; so did the poplar. A burr, wind- 
driven, caught on to the intruder ; so did I. Aha ! 
A serpent had entered our Eden — 

All. Horrors! Snakes! 

Oloriana. Yes, a hooded cobra, but in human 
form. Within the range of my startled vision, 
came a brown cowl. 

Angelina. A brown cow? 

Oloriana. No, coicl. 

Chertihina. Cowl? A monk^s cowl? 

Gloriana. Scowl ! Yes, I should say he did. 
He gave such an icy stare that the temperature 
fell several degrees, and so did he, in my estima- 
tion. Then he buried his scowl in his cowl and 
departed. 

Seraphina. Is that all? 
[183] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Celestina. Who could it have been? 

Angelina. What did he look like? 

Beatifica. Was he young? 

Cheruhina, Which way did he go? How 
stupid of you not to find out more. 

Gloriana. Don't interrupt. Worse followed. 
So did I. 

All. Ah! 

Gloriana. He stalked ahead, I stalked afoot. 

Angelina. Didn't he know you were there? 

Gloriana. No, men don't know anything! 
After what seemed like miles, we came to an old 
stone building. 

Beatifiea. Gray? 

Celestina. Grim? 

Cheruhina. And ivy creeping all over it? 

Gloriana. Yes, enough to make your flesh 
creep! He went in — I cautiously crept up and 
looked in through the window. Around a long 
table, riotously regaling themselves, were other 
cowled creatures. 

Seraphina. Men? 

Gloriana. Apologies for men ! 
[184] 



PLE:3:ra5?T DAY DIVERSIONS 

Beatifica. Apologies? Then they ought to be 
accepted. 

Gloriana. The man I followed took his seat 
at the table, and 

All Well? 

Gloriana. That's all ; I came home. 



TRIO' 

Celestina^ Cherubina and Seraphina. 

For weeks our life quiescent ran, 
Nothing was much more likely than 
Each day should end as it began, 
But now, at last, we've seen a man ! 

Angelina. Girls, how would it be if ? 

Seraphina. Yes, don't you think that possibly 

we might ? 

Beatifica. Seems to me there would be no 

harm in our ? 

Cheruhina. Well, suppose we should ? 

* Air from *< Utopia, Limited." 

[185] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Celestina. Of course, the Chaperon mustn't 
know, but if we only dare ? 

Oloriana. The Chaperon'll catch you if you 
don't watch out. 

CHORUS^ 

The mind of a woman entertains 
Vagaries most erratic ; 
No logic bemuddles her feminine brains, 
By quick intuition her point she attains, 
Her mind is made up, and thereafter remains 
Made up in a manner emphatic. 

This is exactly the case with us, 

No matter how we may rue it ; 
Although the Chaperon kicks up a fuss, 
A forcible, fidgety, family fuss, 

WeVe made up our minds, and we^ll do it! 

Now this is the time, and this the place, 

We put down our foot collective ; 
We'll carry it through with an innocent face, 
And carefully hide each damaging trace, 
* Air from *♦ The Gondoliers," Gilbert and Sulliyan. 
[186] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

And if there is risk of future disgrace, 
Eely on our League Protective. 

We take an Oath of Fealty thus ; 

Our plot we carefully brew it ; 
Although the Chaperon kicks up a fuss, 
A forcible, fidgety, family fuss, 

WeVe made up our minds, and we^ll do it! 

It's time our escapade began ; 

So cease this dim uproarious; 
We'll _____* 
And _ _ _ _ _ 
It is a most magnificent plan, 

'Twill surely prove victorious. 

If thus the Chaperon we nonplus, 
She certainly won't see through it ; 

But even should she kick up a fuss, 

A forcible, fidgety, family fuss, 

We've made up our minds, and weHl do it! 

END OF ACT I. 
* They whisper to one another. 

[ 187 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ACT II 

Time. Afternoon. Scene. Hilarity Hall. 

Seated at the table are : 
Brother Htlarius. Brother Robustious. 

" ErRATICUS. " PUGNATIUS. 

" Prbposterus. " Anonymus. 

CHORUS OF BROTHERS^ 

Here's to Hilarity, 

Jolly good fellows we, 
Fill up your stein with Rhenish wine, 

And drink with me. 

Drink to the death of Care, 

Drudgery and Despair, 
Drink to a life with Laughter rife, 
And free as air. 
» Air ** The Scout," 

[188] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Here in content we sit, 

Bothering not a bit, 
Though in the world's mendacious mart, 

Men fret and smart. 

Though in a morbid mood, 

Greedy for solitude, 
Anchorite grim in cloister dim 

May sit and brood. 

We have the better plan, 

From feminine fetters free, 
Celibates to a man 

Pledged to Hilarity. 

Ha! Ha! Ha! 



SOLO 

Brother Preposterits. 

While we sit with half-closed eyes, 

Watching misty smoke-wreaths ascending ; 
Memory wakes, and visions arise, 

Realities with fancies blending. 
[189] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Give my pipe, good brother, to me, 
Here is balm for sadness and sorrow, 

Calm content and sweet charity. 
Peace for to-day, and joy for to-morrow. 

Chorus — Here's to Hilarity, etc. 

Eilarms. A truce to this fooling ! Cease these 
loud-mouthed Japes and jibes! Hath not the 
dish-washing tarried these many moons? Are 
our brooms rusty in their scabbards? Do not 
our mops hang idle on the walls? Go to ! These 
things must not be! Brother Erraticus, thou 
lazy varlet, bestir thyself, get a move on thee, 
and wash the dishes. 

Erraticus. By the Great Horn Spoon! that 
will I not do. Only yestreen Brother Anonymus 
played on me a most scurvy trick. He promised 
to share with me a delectable dish of clam chow- 
der, if I would cleanse the delft whilst he con- 
cocted the savory mess, and then, the sneaking 
knave, what did he? This did he. When I went 
for my share, he had already greedily emptied 

[ 190 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

the platter, and met my hungry looks with de- 
risive jeers. 

Eilarius. Now, shame on thee, Brother 
Anonymus, to treat thy brother thus. 

Pugnatius. Nay, but hear the truth. Brother 
Erraticus, that shifty rascal, what did he? This 
did he! Piled trenchers, platters, mugs in one 
unwashen heap behind the kitchen door, and 
there be they unto this hour. 

Eilarius. So, so. Brother Erraticus, get thee 
to thy neglected task, and to see to it that it be 
done before supper time. 

( Exit Erraticus. ) 

Bohusticus. Much milk remains unchurned 
within in the buttery. Who churns to-day? 

Erraticus (coming in). Do thou this stroke 
of work, oh. Brother Anonymus, thou worthless 
worm! 

Anonymus. Even a worm will churn. I go. 

Eilarius. Kemains there aught yet to be done? 
Bring hither the mending basket. Brother Eo- 
busticus, hast darned the hose? 

Bohusticus. Ay, marry, something far more 
profane than that have I done to the hose. Need- 

[191] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

lecraft is but a puny pursuit for a stalwart, 
lusty brother. The foul fiend fly away with all 
needles and threads, I say. 

Eilarms. Brother Pugnatius, thou art but an 
idle caitiff! Get up and dust. (Brother Pug- 
natius dusts. ) 

Preposterus. And see to it, Pugnatius, that 
thou leavest not aught of dust in the corners. 

Pugnatius. Thou lazy loon! What doest 
thou? 

Preposterus. Hah! Sirrah! Callest thou me 
a lazy loon? 

Pugnatius. Ay, that do I. What hast thou 
done to earn thy salt except to make hideous 
bowlings and maudlin musickings at unseemly 
hours? 

Preposterus (throwing sofa cushion at him). 
Take thou that thou slanderous villain ! 

Pugnatius (hitting him with a feather duster) . 
And take that thou caterwauling minstrel ! 

Hilarius. Peace! Peace! Such conduct ill 
befits our order. (Knock is heard.) What ho, 
without? Marry, Brother Benedicktus! 

{Enter Brother Benedicktus). 
[192] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

All. Brother Benedicktus^ the married man! 

Hilarius. Well, well, poor old chap, how did 
you get away? 

Pugnatkis. Is she very domineering? 

Erratictis. She must be, judging by his woe- 
begone appearance. 

Anonymus. Well, it's your own fault, you 
would do it. 

Preposterus. Is marriage a failure? 

Bohusticiis. Well, it can't be much worse 
than this. 

BenedicMiis. I appreciate your sympathy, 
but after all, married life has its advantages. 

Erraticus. What are they? 

Benedicktiis. Well, for one thing, a man is 
never alone. (All groan.) Then he has the ad- 
vantage of a woman's advice on every subject. 
(All groan.) He is cheered by her pleasant talk- 
ativeness. (All groan. ) She delights his eye with 
her beautiful Paris hats and gowns. (All groan. ) 
He finds her watching and waiting for him when 
he comes home at night, however late. (All 
groan. ) She washes the dishes^ 

Erraticus. Ah ! 

[ 193 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Benedicktus. She plays the piano. 

Preposterus, Eh? 

Benedicktus. She dusts the rooms. 

Pugnatms. Eh? 

Benedicktus. She churns the butter. 

Anonymus. Oh! ' 

Benedicktus. She darns the stockings. 

Rohusticus. Hey? 

Benedicktus. She keeps the domestic ma- 
chinery going. 

Eilarius. Ah ! 

Benedicktus. Add to this six charming young 
sisters-in-law to make the home happy, and di- 
vide the labor. Angelina — as I live that girl's 
an angel ! Celestina — how she can sing ! Cheru- 
bina — Ah, her merry little ways! Seraphina — > 
what pies she does make! Beatiflca — Ah, how 
she sweeps! Gloriana — to see her scrub! (All 
sigh.) 

Preposterus. Well, how's business? 

Benedicktus. Pretty bad; nothing doing. 
Burglary failures reported every night. But I'm 
not kicking because I have nothing to do. I've 
cracked several cribs lately, and I deserve a rest. 

[ 194 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Erraticus. Yes, you certainly do deserve ar- 
rest 

Prepostertis. A word with you, Brother Bene- 
dicktus. 

( They step aside ; the others arrange table. ) 

Hilarius. Fetch more Rhine wine! 

Anonymiis. And some tobacco ! 

Rohiisticus. And an extra pipe ! 

Pugnatius. And an extra mug ! 

Erraticus. Where are the matches? 

Preposterus (returning). What are you fel- 
lows doing? 

Hilarius. A word with you, Brother Bene- 
dicktus. 

{They step aside.) 
(Each brother in turn speaks to Brother Bene- 
dicktus privately, after which they all sit at 
table.) 

SOLO 
Preposterus. 
Brothers, perchance we wrongly ruled our fates 
When we decided to be celibates ; 

[195] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

When we resolved to banish woman's wiles, 
And seek a home unbrightened by her smiles. 

To Trouble's tempest did we bare our head 
When we declared that we would never wed? 
Cold is the hearth, unkept by woman's care, 
Warm glows the fireside when her welcome's 
there. 

Refrain. 
Whether we've won more of rejoicing or of rue, 
We to our vows must be unalterably true; 
Turn from this picture, lest we be too sorely 

tried. 
Never for us may gleam our own fireside. 

We have perhaps lost something of Life's joy; 
Can woman soothe when petty cares annoy? 
Is she a sunbeam in a darkened room? 
Can she dispel an atmosphere of gloom? 

Perish the thought ! for that way madness lies ; 
Only destruction lurks in woman's eyes. 
Here is our home; our hearts must never ache; 
Never beat faster for a woman's sake. 

[ 196 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Eefrain. 
Whether weVe won more of rejoicing or of rue, 
We to our vows must be unalterably true. 
Turn from this picture, lest we be too sorely 

tried ; 
Never for us may gleam our own fireside. 



^Hilarius. Well, your account of married life 
sounds well and might deceive men of less ex- 
perience, but we are too old birds to be caught by 
a girPs chaff. 

Erraticus. Yes, yes; you may try to deceive 
us, but there is a look of settled melancholy on 
your face which speaks of curtain lectures and 
petticoat government. 

Anoiiymus. No, no. Brother Benedicktus; 
woman may or may not be an angel, it's only a 
matter of a pinion ; but we think not. 

Rohusticus. Some people say they're the flow- 
ers of civilization, but if so, they're artificial 
flowers. 

[197]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

SOLO 

'Robusticus. 

Bother the maiden of bashful fifteen ! 

Bother the matron of fifty! 
The one is a flaunting, extravagant queen, 

The other is shrewish and shifty. 

Chorus. 
Let the toast pass ; 
Man is an ass 
When he perils his pipe and his peace for a lass. 

Petticoat government isn't the thing, 
Feminine franchise we ban, sir ! 

If to your heart Cupid comes with a ring, 
Keep the door shut and don't answer. 

Chorus. 

Here's to the health of Hilarity Hall ! 

We're sorry for old Benedicktus. 
To us Hymen's sweetness is wormwood and gall ; 
Thank goodness ! he never has tricked us. 

Chorus. 
'^Exeunt Brothers singing.) 
{Enter Sisters.}^ 
[198] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

CHORUS^ 

Lightly, lightly; impolitely 

We must not intrude; 
Awkward entry is for gentry 

Rigidly tabooed. 
We have fleetly, and discreetly 

Made our wilful way, 
Through outrageously umbrageous 

Cloisters green and gray. 
Seraphina. 

Since our mad flight we started, 
Many hairpins have departed. 

One by one. 
We've jeopardized our ruffles 
In our migratory scuffles, 

But 'twas fun. 
We find upon inspection 
Each has tanned her fair complexion 

In the sun. 
'Tis quite an undertaking. 
But the goal was worth the making, 

And we've won ! 
* Air from " Princess Ida." 

[ 199 ]l 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

So here they Ve founded their retreat hilarious, 
Ignorant they of their estate precarious; 
Poor witless wights, their airy castles raising, 
Man^s absolute incomprehension is amazing, 
Yes, truly, man is but an ignoramus. 
Blind as a bat, and for his folly famous. 

They can run to earth a beetle or a mouse, 
But there isn't one of them can run a house, 
They can darn "the other fellow'' at the polls. 
But they couldn't darn a sock to save their souls ; 
They find dust in every corner with great vim 
On the Stock Exchange; but here their vision's 

dim; 
They are Lords of all Creation, but they end in 

subjugation 
To a very little woman's little whim. 

Gelestina. Mercy! what a smell of tobacco! 

All. 'Sh! 

Gherubina. If we hadn't followed Brother 
Ben 



All. 'Sh! 

Angelina. I'm scared to death. I wish we 



hadn't come. 



[ 200 ]! 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

All. 'Sh! 

Beatifica. That dreadful wall ! I think IVe 
sprained my 

All. 'Sh! 

Seraphma. Oh, what's this? 

All. 'Sh! 

Seraphina. Oh ! Stockings ! 

Beatifica. Turn off the hose ! 

Gloriana. The Chaperon'll catch you if you 
don't watch out ! 

Angelina. Oh, see this book ! 

All. What is it? 

Beatifica. It may be private! 

Gloriana. That settles it. We must see it. 

Cheriihina (reading title). "Eeveries of the 
Bachelors.'' (Opens it.) Oh! Listen to this^ — 
(reads) — "Woman is worse than a crime, she's 
a blunder." 

All. Oh! 

Cherubina. Signed, "Brother (Pugnatius." 
Beast ! 

Celestina (reads). "There never would have 
been any women if the iSrst man hadn't been 
caught napping." 

[201QI 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

All. Oh! 

Celestina. Signed;^ ^^Brother Erraticus.'^ Pig ! 

Beatifica (reads). 

"Oh, woman, in our hours of ease, 
You're often jolly hard to please; 
But when things leave good fortune's level. 
Why, then you are the very 

All 'Sh! 

Beatifica. Signed, "Brother Hilarius/' Brute. 

Angelina (reads). "Woman has been called 
the Sphinx ; but the Sphinx is silenf 

All. Oh! 

Angelina. Signed, "Brother Preposterus.'' 
Cat! 

Seraphina (reads). "Woman is like neces- 
sity ; she knows no law/' 

All. Oh! 

Seraphina. Signed, "Brother Anonymus." 
Idiot. 

Gloriana (reads). "A little woman is a dan- 
gerous thing." 

All. Oh! 

[ 202 ]1 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Gloriana. Signed, " Brother Robusticus.'' 
Chump ! 

MONOLOGUE 

Gloriana. 
Friends, Romans and Countrymen! Lend me 

your ears ; 
I come to blame the Chaperon, not to praise her. 
The evil that men do lives after them ; 
The evil women do lives all the time 
And walks with them from day to day, and 

pesters 
All whom it comes in contact with. 
So is it with the Chaperon. The noble Burglar 
Hath told you the Sisters were rambunctious; 
If it were so, it were a grievous fault, 
And grievously the Chaperon punished it. 
Here, without leave of the Burglar or the rest. 
For the Burglar is a miserable man I 
So are they all; all miserable men — 
Come I to speak the Chaperon's tyranny. 
She w^as our friend, faithful and just to us, 
But the Burglar says we are rambunctious. 
The Burglar is a miserable man! 

[ 203 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

He brought a few small presents to our home, 
And overflowing thanks our hearts did fill. 
Did this in the Sisters seem rambunctious? 
And when the Burglar stormed the Sisters wept ; 
Rambunctious ones are made of sterner stuff. 
Yet the Burglar says we are rambunctious; 
Oh, sure, he is a miserable man! 
I speak not to disprove what the Burglar spoke, 
But I am here to speak what I do know, 
(I ought to know it; I've studied it enough). 
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now; 
(Alas! I thought so, even the seats are in tiers). 
You all do know this mantle! I remember 
The first time that I ever put it on; 
'Twas on a summer evening in July — 
But that was long ago. And now it's most worn 

out. 
To-day we overcame our nervousness, 
Escaped the Chaperon's watching eye and came, 
Through many trials and vicissitudes, 
To investigate the Hall of Bachelors, 
And as we scrambled over rocks and stones. 
Look at this place that Celestina tore! 
See what a rent small Cherubina made! 

[ 204 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

And here where Beatiflca has grabbed. 
This was the most unkindest cut of all, 
For when the watching Chaperon saw us rnn 
She caught, but could not keep me, for you know 
"The biggest one's the one that gets away.'' 
And so we Sisters all ran oyer here, 
And while pursuing us the Chaperon fell ! 
Oh, what a fall was that, my countrymen ! 
Then you and I, and all of us fell down 
Among the tangled briers and fallen trees ; 
But nothing daunted, on we sped until 
We reached our goal and found the Brothers^ 

Hall. 
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts — 
(I am no robber as the Burglar is). 
And as I told you first, I want your ears, 
I do not want your hearts. 
I tell you that which you yourselves do know, 
Tell you the Chaperon's rules — hard, harsh, cruel 

rules — 
And bid them speak for me. But were I the 

Chaperon, 
And were she Gloriana, there were a chaperon 
Would lighten up your spirits and put a veto 
[205] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

On every law of the Burglar's. And would make 
Each Sister's voice to rise in eulogy ! 

{Bell rings.) 
Celestim. I'll to the window and see what 
may be seen. 

Recitative—^ 

Celestina. 

With sharpened eyes and quickened hearing 

I wait the bold intruder's nearing; 

My heart into my throat is rising, 

Which, after all, is not surprising. 



Oh, girls! oh, girls! I see I see 



'All 

Yes, Celestine; you see you see — 

Pish, flesh or fowl. 
Or monkish cowl. 

What do you see? You see you see 

» Air from " Pinafore." 

[ 206 ]! 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Celestina. 

I see the castellated towers 

Rise to the sunset sky — who is it? 
I see the birds from leafy bowers 
In startled terror fly — who is it? 
All. 

Who can it be? 
Who can it be? 

Celestina. 

I hear a step, oh, dear; oh, dear; 
'Tis coming near; 'tis coming near! 
All. 

She hears a step, she hears a tread ; 

The hour of doom is drawing near. 
For goodness' sake, pull in your head, 
Or we shall be discovered ; oh, dear ! 

Angelina. 

Listen ! Down the great quadrangle 
Echoing footsteps drawing nearer; 
Listen to the dead leaves rustled 
By the intruder's sweeping garments, 
[207] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Cherubina. 
Crane your neck, oh, Angelina! 
Who and what is the intruder? 
Tell us true and tell us quickly. 

Beatifica. Is it now perchance Pugnatius? 
Gloria. Or Erraticus, the rascal? 
SerapMna. Or that one they call Preposterus? 
Celestina. Or Hilarius, the happy? 
Cheruhina. Or Robusticus, the rugged? 
Beatifica. Or Anonymus? 
Angelina. By no means, 

'Tis the Chaperon! 

All. Good gracious ! 

Gloriana. What a fortunate thing it is that 
the codes of comic opera provide for emergencies 
of this description. Now, in real life we should 
have to fly off in undignified haste. As it is, we 
can make our hurried exit in peace and quiet- 
ness, because, you know, in opera this is just the 
place where they always stop and sing. The 
shorter the time the longer the song. The quicker 
they have got to get away the slower they sing. 

[ 208 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

The more danger of being overheard, the louder 
the chorus. 

Beatifica. In fact, just when they ought to 
sing small they shout at the top of their lungs. 

Gloriana. Exactly ; sing away ! but the Chap- 
eron^il catch you if you don't watch out ! 



OHOEUS^ 

In an agitated splutter. 

In a helter-skelter crush ; 
In a flurry and a flutter 

From the Chaperon we rush. 
Panic-stricken we escape her, 

Terror-stricken we vacate ; 
Should she catch on to this caper j, 

Horrible will be our fate ! 

In accelerated hurry, 

At a rattling pace we hie ; 
In a scamper and a skurry 
Instantaneously fly. 
' Air from *' The Gondoliers." 

[209] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Heeding naught in our mad exit ; 

Flying frantic to and fro. 
Wild our stampede, nothing checks it; 

Hither! Thither! OfiEwego! 

r( Sisters conceal themselves behind screen, very 
deliberately.) 

[{Enter Gabriella.) 
Gabriella. 

I'm the Chaperon, gay and frisky, 
And the role that I have to play 

Is decidedly rash and risky, 

And I know I'll slip up some day. 

Diplomacy is all very well, but for a person 
of my open and ingenuous nature it is almost 
impossible to keep this up. It was certainly an 
inspiration of genius that led me to think of 
coming over here to suggest to the Brothers that 
our garden is easy of access and delightful of 
situation, and the wall conveniently low. If I 
can only succeed in bringing these pseudo-celi- 
bates under the influence of our moonlight and 
roses, the girls will do the rest. It would have 

[210] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

been easier, of course, if I could have had 
Eobin's co-operation, but I could never have 
brought him here. Here — among old associates 
— where everything would remind him and per- 
haps drag him back to the degradation from 
which I have rescued him. Here — where among 
his old chums and his old pipes he would sink 
to his former level. Oh! man is weak, and 
tobacco is strong! So he must never suspect 
that I have been here, and the men must never 
come to Robin's Nest when he is at home. The 
task will be difficult, but I shall have my re- 
ward when all the girls are settled down and we 
have no more of this settling up. Now, as Robin 
will be away this evening, I shall invite the 
Brothers over, and if the girls will only 
promise — 
All (appearing) . We will ! We will ! 

SOLO^ 
Gabriella. 
Since the manners of young women are a mark 

for criticism, 
^ Air from ** Utopia, Limited." 
[211] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

And the unsophisticated girl is an an- 
achronism — 



[ill. Anachronisms surely are improper! 

Gabriella. 
With authoritative arrogance the journals of 

our nation 
Instruct inquiring ignorance in every situation. 

All. And journals surely should know what is 
proper ! 

Gabriella. 

You'll find it all in "Answers to our Lady Cor- 
respondents/' 

Advice to Gushing Girlhood and Sweet Solace 
to Despondents, 

Receipts for the Complexion, and for Disciplines 
Diurnal. 

All. 
In short, for each emergency our oracle's the 

journal. 
The journal ! The journal ! 

[212] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 



CHORUS 

Here lies the whole solution 

In the thorough revolution, 
That the Journal has effected in propriety, 

With its "Heart to Heart" responses 

And its rules for scouring sconces, 
And its rules for good behavior in Society. 

Gahriella. 
Observe that to ^^Ophelia^^ this wise counsel has 

been proffered, 
"No. Do not say youll marry him until the man 
has offered.^' 
All. To take an unmade offer is improper! 
Gahriella. 
And thus to "Lolly Gagger'' they reply with 

indignation 
"We certainly do not approve promiscuous 
osculation.'^ 
All. To kiss on first acquaintance is im- 
proper ! 

[213] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Gabriella. 
Jane says, "I like Alonzo Green. Would I be 

wrong in calling ?^^ 
To Jane : "Your wish unmaidenly is really quite 

appalling V^ 
"A delicate decorum is of etiquette the kernel.'^ 

All. And exit Jane, prostrated by the jeer- 
ings of the Journal ! 

(Chorus.) 

Gabriella. Now, girls, you must understand 
that anything of the nature of encouragement is 
unmaidenly, and must not be permitted. Girls 
have been known to drop a handkerchief, or a 
ribbon, or a glove, as a token ; which, of course, 
you would never think of doing. For, if you 
should leave any of these things, their masculine 
curiosity would be excited, and they might think 
of returning them — in person — which would, of 
course, be very sad. 

All (carefully following her instructions y. It 
would indeed be very sad! 

{Yoices heard in distance.) 

Gabriella. The men ! the men ! If you don^t 
go out, you'll be put out. 

[214] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Seraphina. We shall be put out if we do. 

Angelina. Oh, let us stay to have "^nst one 
little peep. 

Celestina. Just one little look ! 

Gahriella. No ! No ! {Exeunt omnes.) 

{Enter the Brothers^ laughing heartily.) 

Rohusticus. Cease, cease, I pray thee! By 'r 
lakin, I have laughed till I can laugh no more, 
and the inner man calls right loudly. 

Preposterus. Aye, marry ! And with me ! For 
though a mirthful tale be the best relish to 
dinner, it fills neither porringer nor platter. 

Anonymus. By my halidome, and so say I! 
An after-dinner speech is ever the best speech. 
Bestir thyself, Brother Pugnatius. 

Pugnatius. Nay, do thou go and bestir the 
soup, and see that thou fall not in. 

Erraticus. Not he. Brother Pugnatius. Far 
more prone is he to fall out. 

Eilarius. By the great Horn Spoon, cease 
this buffoonery! This, our hall, hath more the 
air of the den of a brawling brotherhood than 
the abode of peaceful gentlemen. Make short 

[215] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

shift of this clutter, that we may dine orderly. 
Brother Eobusticus, hie thee to thy hosen. And 
thou, Brother Erraticus, intrench thyself behind 
thy trenchers. Brother Pugnatius, thou art but 
an idle feather-head— dust ! Brother Anonymus, 
stow away thy churn, lest thou stir up dissen- 
sions with thy mad dashings. Brother Prepos- 
terus, music, methinks, doth ever lighten labor. 
Air thou some of thy favorite crotchets, whilst 
I record the minching matrimonial mutterings 
of that benighted Benedicktus. 

Erraticus, Beshrew Brother Benedicktus ! He 
hath in his fooPs pate the notion that women be 
angels. 

Anonymiis. Faith! Not angels, but angles, 
say I. 

Preposterus. By the great Panjandrum! It 
behoveth me to tune up to lighten this peevish 
humor of melancholy which sits but ill upon 
thee. ^ 

Hilarius. Ay, do thou so! 

{Each Brother having gone to Ms place findeth 
the token left hy a Sister j, lohereat he ga^eth won- 

[216] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVEKSIONS 

deringly, and is straightway seized "by the ten- 
der passion.) 



SOLO* 



'Rdhusticus. 


Well, this is a rummy start! 


All. 


I am in love ! I am in love ! 


Rdhusticus. 


What's the matter with my 




heart? 


All. 


I am in love! 


Robusticus. 


For my pulse has got a jag, 




I am in love; I am in love; 




And my wits are playing tag, 




I am in love! 




Something's raised the deuce 




with me. 




I am in love; I am in love; 




Who in thunder can she be? 




I am in love! 




For my heart goes pit-a-pat. 




Hang it all ! Where am I at? 


All. 


I am in love, etc. 



^ Air from **The Pirates of Penzance." 



[217] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

SOLO 

Preposteriis. 

Love's a fever intermittent. 
Love's a microbe anthracis. 
Love's paresis — Love's heart-failure. 
Love is life's paralysis. 

Love lies lurking unsuspected 
Every man is unprotected, 
Each of us may be infected 
With miasm such as this. 

SOLO 

Rohtisticus. 

Yes, I quite agree with you. 

What you say is very true. 

Every man bears on his face 

All the symptoms of this case. 

So in homeopathy 

We must seek the remedy. 

If correct v;e diagnose 

We must each of us propose. 
All. 

We'll propose! Ah, yes, propose! 

END OF ACT II 

[218] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

ACT III 

Time. Evening. 

Scene. Garden at Robin's Nest. 

Sister Angelina, Sister Seraphina, 

" Celestina, " Beatifica, 

" Cherubina, " Gloriana. 

CHORUS^ 

^Neath night's obscurity, 
In all security, 
To due maturity 

Our plans we bring. 

We're easy mentally, 
And incidentally 
Posed ornamentally 
We sit and sing. 
* Air from ''Princess Ida." 

[219] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 



SOLO 

Celestina. 

By trivial token vows may be broken; 
A trifle tender may cause surrender; 
By ribbon rosy and careless posy, 
Sly Cupid shows he is worldly-wise. 

Chorus. 

Moonlight and flowers in idle hours, 
Will draw a mortal across lovers portal ; 
The brothers flouting, with scornful scouting, 
Will beyond doubting materialize. 

Chorus. 

And since these skeptics (no doubt dys- 
peptics). 
Do with temerity deny Lovers verity, 
Without confession of their transgression, 
We no concession will authorize. 
[ 220 ]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Chorus. 

^Angelina. They'll have to break up their Ee- 
treat, before they can make any advances. 

Gherubina. Not only their retreat, they'll 
have to break their vows, their fetters, their 
silence — 

Seraphina. While we break their hearts. 

Celestina. And the record ! 

Gloriana. Men are always dead-broke, any- 
way. And they call themselves "Lords of Crea- 
tion/' when each of them is an humble subject 
of the Woman's Empire. They insist they are 
"Monarchs of all they survey." They must be 
very short-sighted. Leaders of men! Bah! Fol- 
lowers of women! After all Madame Grand is 
right, ours is the superior sex ; and from this 
Grand Stand of superiority, woman looks down 
on man's arena, and views his groveling gyra- 
tions, his sentimental somersaults, all his ama- 
tory acrobatics. She stoops to his low level, and 
stooping, conquers. The winner and the won; 
prize and prize-giver; award and awarder! 
Woman ! the peerless product of the centuries' 

[ 221 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

civilization, the queenly quintessence of logic 
and learning, the perfect pattern of polished 
propriety, the lustrous luminary enlightening 
the world, the pinnacled paragon of perfection! 
Beatifica. Yes, that's all very well, Gloriana, 
but the pinnacle has its disadvantages. Listen 
to the sad experience of one who like ourselves 
lived on the heights. 



MONOLOGUE 

Beatifica. 

Once on a time — the good old days — 
A Princess lived, the story says. 
Whose beauty set the world ablaze 
With human hearts as fuel ; 

Her eyes were diamonds, all a-shine; 
Her ruby lips, in curving line. 
Disclosed two rows of pearls. In fine, 
She was a perfect jewel! 
[222] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Like cream and peaches shone her skin, 
A saucy dimple cleft her chin ; 
She might have been the heroine 
Of any Duchess' novel! 

All 

Now here our interest begins ; 
We^re like this maid as are two pins; 
We all might pose as heroines 
Of any Duchess' novel. 

Beatifica. 

But not alone in charm of face 
This damsel took the foremost place; 
She'd every known and unknown grace 
For which our race has battled. 

She was Perfection's Perfect Pink. 
A thoughtless thought she could not think; 
At wayward ways she would not wink ; 
She never, never tattled ! 
[223] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

All kinds of housework she could do; 
Everything kno wable she knew ; 
She could have given pointers to 

All Sarah Grand^s young women ! 



All. 

If we correctly follow you, 
The marked resemblance still holds true; 
We could, no doubt, give pointers to 
All Sarah Grand's -^oun^ women. 

Beatifica. 

To woo this scintillating star, 
Swift suitors came from near and far; 
From Timbuctoo and Zanzibar, 
And from the Bay of Fundy. 

In doublets slashed and bonnets gay, 
They came and saw, and said their say. 
She'd ten proposals every day, 

And one thrown in on Sunday. 
[ 224 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

To make a choice she vainly tried; 
Each youth with eagerness she eyed ; 
She found it irksome to decide 

Among such shoals of suitors. 

All. 

Poor girl ! she was severly tried ! 
Each one of us might be a bride 
If we could only quite decide 
Among our shoals of suitors. 

Beatifica. 

Then — at the last — a suitor came 
Of lineage long and noble name, 
Untouched by any blur of blame, 
And yet distinctly human ! 

And him she chose to be her mate, 
To guide with her the helm of State; 
To challenge formidable Fate, 

And wed the Perfect Woman. 
[225] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

But when they stood up side by side 
And trumpets blared, Behold the bride! 
In sudden shame he dropped and died; 
The contrast was too awful! 



All. 

Yes ! Every man who woos a Bride 
Courts unintentioned suicide. 
Mere Man to Perfectness allied! 
The contrast is too awful ! 

Beatifica. 

When the presumptuous man dropped dead 
Each suitor, losing heart and head, 
Incontinently turned and fled; 
He had no wish to tarry. 

And there the luckless lady stood ! 
A creature far too bright and good 
For human nature's daily food — 
Too good for Man to marry! 
[ 226 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

The moral is not far to seek — 
Don't be too good. Don't be too meek; 
Try to be wicked once a week, 
Or twice, if necessary; 

Because, in these degenerate days, 
Idealism never pays. 
The Perfect Girl's the Girl men praise, 
But not the Girl men marry ! 

All 

We're naturally good and meek, 
Just like the girl of whom you speak; 
But we'll be wicked once a week. 

Or twice if necessary. 
We do not care for manly praise, 
We'd rather walk our single ways, 
But men, poor things, must now-a-days 

Have somebody to marry ! 

Seraphina. Well, then, to be any good, one 
must be a little bad? 
Angelina. Yes, at least once a week. 
[227] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Cheruhina. Well, here it is, Friday, this 
week's nearly gone, and we haven't done a de- 
cently villainous thing yet. 

Celestina. That's so and we can never meet 
those men on their own level unless we come off 
the perch. 

Beatifica. Well, here is the key to the situa- 
tion, a theft, and a clandestine appointment are 
villainies enough for one week. 

Gloriana. Yes, let's go and unlock the gate 
at once, so that if those meandering men should 
come this way, they may pass in at an easy gate, 
and strike the bridal path. 

Beatifica. They can't get in without the key. 
It is said, "Love laughs at lock-smiths," but T 
think his grin is mostly chagrin. Gracious, 
here's the Burglar. Here, hide this somewhere, 
somebody ! 

Cheruhina. Give it to me, where shall I hide 
it? 

Angelina. Here! (Indicating Robin's coat 
pocket. ) ( Enter Robin. ) 

Bohin. Well, you all seem to be on the qui 
vive! 

[ 228 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

All. We are. 

Celestina. Are thou going out, Robin, to- 
night? 

RoNn. Going out robbin'? Yes, I should say 
so. Your extravagance keeps me busy. Do you 
know you are eating half the population of this 
county out of house and home? (Looks for key.) 

Cheruhina. What are you looking for? 

JRobin. My overcoat. Ah, here it is! '(Puts 
coat on. ) 

Beatifica. Oh, you don't need an overcoat this 
warm night. 

Gloriana, Oh, not your overcoat, you look so 
much better without it. 

{Enter Gahriella.) 

Gahriella. My dear! You'll surely be late! 
The theatre will be over and you can't get into 
the Goulderbilt's flat. 

Robin, I'm off. 

(Girls intimate to Gahriella by gestures where 
the key is. ) 

Gahriella. Oh, wait, your collar is getting up. 
(Hums a tune.) 

Rohin. Anybody's choler would get up, with 
[229] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

such a parcel of women pecking round, and you 
singing out of tune. 

Gabriella (gaily). Oh, sometimes I strike the 
key! (Finds key in pocket.) 

(Gabriella lays key on wall. Erraticus ap- 
pears from behind wall and takes it, then dis- 
appears, again.) 

(Gabriella points to where she supposes key 
to be.) 

Robin, Good-by. 

{Exeunt Robin and Gabriella.) 

All. Good-by. 

Angelina. Now for that key! 

Celestina. Why, it isn't here! 

(Girls search unsuccessfully for key, then sit 
down at foot of wall. Men's heads appear above 
w^all.) 

Cherubina. Where is that key? I feel creepy. 
Gabriella certainly put it there. Are these 
spirits present? 

Beatifica. Plenty of high spirits. 

Angelina. Girls, do you believe in ghosts? 

Seraphina. Ghosts ! Nonsense ! 

Angelina. But have you never felt that there 
[230] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

might be unseen beings above and around us, 
watching over us, hearing our every word, long- 
ing and yet unable to communicate with us? 

All (huddling together). U — ugh — h! 

Gloriana. You scare me stiff! But who's 
afraid? Come, let's look for that key! 

Hilarms (on wall). Come on! 

{Exeunt girls.)] 

Erraticus (emerging). Oh, come off! 

Hilarius (vaulting over). Over the fence is 
out! Ha! Ha! 

Preposteriis (coming over.) Over the wall is 
in! 

Robusticus. Are you through? 

Anonymus. No, I only wish we were! The 
worst is to come. How the dickens am I to pro- 
pose? I don't know how to propose. 

Pugnatius. Oh, that's all right. Man pro- 
poses, as a woman poses, by instinct. 

Hilarius. But the chief thing is, are we thor- 
oughly resolved to renounce our renunciations, 
retire from our retirement, and throw off these 
symbols of celibacy? 

All. We axe! 

[231]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

CHORUS OF BROTHERS^ 

Solo — Rohusticus. 

Excuse this surly scowl, 
These bliukings like an owl. 
It makes us swear 
These hoods to wear, 
It makes us grunt and growl; 
So doff this monkish cowl. 
Chorus — Yes, yes, yes ; we^ll doff this monkish 
cowl. 

These ropes that knotted hang, 
We drop without a pang* 
Monks on a string. 
Suggestions bring 
Of the orang-outang. 
So let this rope go hang ! 
Chorus — Yes, yes, yes; we'll let this rope go 
hang! 
* Air from ** Princess Ida.*' 

[ 232 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

This cassock we^ no doubt^ 
Can do quite well without; 
It clogs our feet 
When on the street 
We try to walk about. 
So fire this cassock out. 
Chorus — Yes, yes, yes; we'll fire this cassock 
out! 

'{Enter Sisters.) 

DUET^ 

Cherubina and Bdhusticus. 

C. How dare you come here uninvited? 

R. Excuse this unconventional call. 

C. Perhaps you think that we're delighted? 

B. Oh, no, no, no ! Oh, not at all ! 

C. We wish we might this dangerous step 
shun. 

R. You're too particular, my dear! 
C. We hate dissembling and deception. 
R. Of this one case pray make exception. 
C. We'll modify our cool reception. 
R. I'm very, very glad I'm here! 
1 Air from ** 1492." 

[ 233 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DlVERSlOHS 

Both. 

Let not conventionality 

Our paths divide, 
Nor let formality 

Our feelings hide; 



Each maiden's charity 
All doubt dispels; 

Knights of Hilarity 

Greet Convent Belles! 



C. But still I feel some slight confusion. 

B. That rising blush becomes you well. 

C. But how explain this bold intrusion? 
22. The only way is not to tell. 

C. The Chaperon's a social dragon. 

B. Her direst wrath I do not fear. 

C. For hours incessantly she'll nag on. 

B. (In that case I shall get a jag on.) 

C. And still this good old world will wag on. 
B. I'm very, very glad I'm here. 

[ 234 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Both. 

Let not conventionality 

Our paths divide, 
Nor let formality 

Our feelings hide. 

Each maiden's charity 

All doubt dispels; 
Knights of Hilarity 

Greet Convent Belles! 

{Enter Oahriella and Bohin.) 

Qabriella. Well, introductions seem to be su- 
perfluous, but no well-conducted chaperon ever 
omits them. No comic opera is complete with- 
out an introduction, and these gentlemen seem 
skilled in making overtures. 

CHORUS 
Men. 

^Tis strange we have not met before. 
Though in such near proximity. 
[ 235 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Girls. 

It does seem strange, at such close range, 
But we were not to blame. 

Men. 

This unexpected honor much disturbs 
Our equanimity. 

Girls. 

That may be so^ but still, you know^ 
You get there just the same. 

AlU 

Sing, Hey! 

Sing, How do you do? 

And how are you? 

VYe often heard of you, 

And thought of you, too. 

Now that we meet, 

And the chain is complete, 

To kind Fate we bow. 

And we curtsey, oh ! 
* Air from ** Princess Ida." 

[ 236 ]j 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Robin (to men). Brace up, you fellows, and 
get it over! (Men groan.) 

Oohriella (to girls) . Make it as easy for them 
as possible. (Girls groan). 

Hilarius (aside). I'd rather be shot! 

Angelina (aside). I wish I had some powder. 

Pugnatius (aside). I know I'll lose my head. 

Seraphina (aside). I think I shall drop my 
eyes. 

Preposterus (aside). My heart is in my 
throat. 

Cheruhina (aside). They are choked with 
emotion. 

Bohusticus (aside). I want to speak, but 
something seals my lips. 

Celestina (aside). This seems to be a case of 
sealed proposals. 

Anonymous (aside). My name is mud! I 
know it is. 

Beatifica (aside). Well, if we accept this con- 
tract, we'll have to take the men's names. 

Erraticus (aside). I feel like a fish out of 
water. 

[237]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Gloriana (aside). The Chaperon'll catch you, 
if you don't watch out! 

Men. Wm — Ha — 'Er. Ladies, if you will 
only take us seriously — 

OMs (coyly). Oh, this so sudden! 

(Chorus.)^ 

Recitative. 
Robin (to men.y 

Now, then, make your preparations, 
Eeach the point by slow gradations. 

Dexterous and deft. 
Calm your pulses, cool your fervor 
Show the necessary nerve, or 

You'll get badly left. 

Recitative. 

Gahriella (to girls). 

Don't display undue elation. 
Nor excessive trepidation. 

Cease your coquetries. 
In these trying circumstances. 
You are sure to lose your chances. 

If you temporize. 
[238] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Girls. Oh, dear!^ 

Men. Brace up! 
(Pompously) 

We have come here from halls Baronial, 
With proposals matrimonial ; 
WeVe agreed with unanimitj^, 
To show deference to Dimity; 
We've been decidedly deliberate. 
Going on at a Van Bibber rate, 
Till at last our cowls we doff for you, 
And our hands and hearts we offer you. 



Girls (with mock humility). 

We are overwhelmed with gratitude 
At your matrimonial attitude; 
We acknowledge with demurity 
Our comparative obscurity; 
We admit your generosity, 
And your mad impetuosity. 
But before our hearts we liberate, 
We must carefully deliberate, 
^ Air from * 'pirates of Penzance." 
[239] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Men. 

We have waited with propriety, 

And a measure of anxiety, 

For replies (we trust congenial)^ 

To our overtures hymeneal ; 

Since so much weVe thrown away for you, 

Do not make us further stay for you. 

Oh, be no longer dumb to us, 

But hear our prayer and come to us. 

Girls. 

The reply that we must make to you. 
We're afraid will cause heart-ache to you; 
We have tried to meet concedingly 
The appeal you put so pleadingly; 
We have weighed the pro and con of it. 
And decided to have none of it, 
And though our thanks we owe to you. 
We're compelled to answer "^^No^^ to you. 

Hilarius. Rejected ! 

Preposterus. Oh, I shall never get over this! 
Erraticus. This is a crushing blow ! 
[ 240 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Pugnatius. Returned with thanks ! 

Bohusticns. If they only knew what they've 
missed ! 

Anonymous. (Holding up glove). So this 
glove turned out a mitten ! 

Oirls (eagerly). But we'll be sisters to you! 

Rohin (aside to Gabriella). There, the whole 
thing's fallen through ; your fault entirely ! 

Gabriella (aside to Robin). There, I knew if 
you took this in hand, you'd put your foot in it ! 

Girls (tentatively). But we can still be 
friends? 

Men (doubtfully). Oh, yes, we can still be 
friends. 

CHORUS 

Here's to Hilarity, 

Jolly good comrades, we; 
We are well-met, and merry yet, 

So sing with me. 
Sing of the death of care. 

Drudgery and despair, 
Sing of a life with laughter rife 

And free as air. 

[241] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Here in content we sing, 

None of us bothering, 
Though in the world's mendacious mart 

Men fret and smart. 

Though in a morbid mood, 

Greedy for solitude, 
Anchorite grim, in cloister dim, 

May sit and brood. 

We have the better plan, 

Frivolous, fearless, free. 
Every girl and man 

Pledged to Hilarity. 
Ha! Ha! Ha! 

DUET 

Seraphina and Preposterus. 

So no more we'll fritter away, 

Golden hours in idle pursuing ; 

Fickle Fortune's radiant ray 

Does not seem to smile on our wooing. 
[242] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Now, henceforth good friends we will be, 
Sere is balm for sadness and sorrow, 

Calm content and sweet charity, 

Peace for to-day, and joy for to-morrow. 

Choeus — Here's to Hilarity, etc. 



BND 



[243] 



THE PRINCESS LULIANA 

CAST OF CHARACTERS 

King: 

Princess Luliana: 
The Court Physician : 
The Godmamma : 
Prince Corydon: 
Chorus^ ad lib.^ 



VOCAL NUMBERS 

1. Chorus of attendants 

2. Eecitative Court Physician 

3. Chorus of attendants 

4. Solo Court Physician 

5. Solo Prince Corydon 

[ 244 ]: 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

6. Quartet 

King, Court Physician, Godmamma, 
Princess 

7. Duet 

Prince Corydon, Princess (As Sir Solon 
Sage) 

8. Duet 

Prince Corydon, Court Physician (As 
Court Plunks) 

9. Solo Princess 

10. Solo Prince Corydon 

11. Duet Princess, Prince Corydon 

12. Trio.. King, Godmamma, Court Physician 

13. Quartet and Chorus 



Scene. Throne-room of the Palace. 

'(Enter 'Attendants and Godmamma hringing 
garlands of flowers^ &c.^ to decorate room.) 



[ 245 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

CHORUS 

MADEIGAL 

Laughter lights the eyes of morning 
Wakes the day to rosy mirth ; 
Oh, the adorning 
Of the glad earth! 
Shine happy sun on the vernal array, 
Wake to thy frolicking freedom, Oh Day, 

Wake! 

Then the hilltops^ cold, unblushing, 
Feel Apollo^s glances bright, 
And, faintly flushing, 
Wake to delight. 
Shine, happy sun, for thy radiance thrills, 
Wake to the kiss of the morning. Oh Hills, 

Wake! 

Now to Nature's careless thrumming, 
Thrill of birds and buzz of bees 
Lazily humming, 
Wakes the soft breeze. 
[ 246 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Shine, happy surij on the whispering trees, 
Wake to the murmurs of morning, Oh Breeze. 

Wake! 

Enter Court Physician (Eeeitative) : 

A charming song, and sung to admiration, 
Worthy the King, whom at my wise suggestion, 
We wake each morning with such dulcet measure. 
Now, to increase the Royal satisfaction. 
And in accordance with the further promptings 
Of my Majestic Mind, I bid you, lackeys. 
Scatter now here, now there, the chosen blossoms, 
Against the King's appearing. 

Godmamma. Pray, your lordship, in what 
mood does our monarch find himself this morn- 
ing? 

Court Physician. The King, Dear Madam, is 
quite blue this morning. 

Godmamma. Alack, what a misfortune ! For 
this is the betrothal day of our beloved Princess, 
and we should all be gay and merry. 

Court Physician. And gay and merry you 
must be, even though your high spirits are as- 

[247] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

sumed for the occasion. Go on with your work, 
for the King will soon appear. 

CHORUS 

(In march time, as the attendants proceed to 
decorate the room.) 

When the King is cross and crusty, 

And a victim of the blues; 
And his wit^s a trifle musty, 
We, his tried attendants trusty, 
Shake and shiver in our shoes. 
Though our song be loud and lusty, 
Yet we shiver in our shoes 
When our monarch has the blues. 
But, notwithstanding our secret fear, 
We work and sing with right good cheer. 
We sing tra, la la, la, la, 
And we laugh ha ha, ha ha, ha ha. 
While we wait for the King to appear. 
Court Physician, Cease this hullabaloo! I 
have matters of great moment on my mind, and 
I wish no additional distraction. 

Godmamma. But, Sir Wiseacre Bigwig, a 
[248] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

welcome to the King, as we anticipate Lis ap- 
pearance, is the burden of our song. 

Court Physician. That burden is more than I 
can bear. Begone, all of you, and at once. 

{Exeunt Chorus.) 
Court Physician (with satisfaction) . Ah, that 
is the way to manage people. My little high- 
handed way always succeeds with the lower 
classes. 

SOLO 
Court Physician. 
If there's one thing that's won me success in this 
life, 
It's my little high-handed way. 
For instance, you know, I eloped with my wife, 

It's my little high-handed way. 
I bully the servants and storm at the cook, 
Shut the door in the face of a crank or a crook, 
If any oppose me, I bring 'em to book, 
It's my little high-handed way. 
All the court is beneath my sway. 
All the people my word obey. 
The King dares but what I say he may, 
It's my little high-handed way. 
[249] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

I frequently snub my dearest friends, 

It's my little high-handed way. 
I use others' efforts to serve my own ends, 

It's my little high-handed way. 
To bores and advisers I merely say "Seat!'' 
If any ask favors, I knock 'em down flat ; 
If I don't like the music — I stop it — like that! 
{Stops orchestra with a wave of his hand.) 
It's my little high-handed way. 
All the court is beneath my sway. 
All the people my word obey, 
The King dares but what I say he may, 
It's my little high-handed way. 

(Enter Prince Cory don.) 

Court Physician. Who are you? And what is 
your business here? 

Prince C. I am Prince Corydon, and I have 
come to sue for the hand of the Princess Luliana. 
Am I addressing the King, her father? 

Court P. Well — er — not exactly the King in 
person. But it's all the same. I know the King's 
wishes — ay — far better than he knows them him- 
self. Are you in love with the Princess? 

[250] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

SOLO 

^Prince Corydon. 

A typical lover am I, 

I pine and I languish ; 
I moan and I groan and I sigh, 

In dolor and anguish 
I writhe in despair and I weep, 

My heart it is burning. 
I can't either eat, drink or sleep, 
So sadly I'm yearning. 
Court P. 

He's got it pat. 
They're all like that, 
A really, truly lover must be just like that. 
Prince G. 

A typical lover am I, 

I've given up hoping; 
For my lady I vow I would die, 

In misery moping. 
For her I would gladly commit 

All known kinds of folly; 
Or I would eternally sit 
In mum melancholy. 
[ 251 ]| 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Court P. 

He's got it pat, 

They-re all like that, 
A bona-fide lover must be just like that. 

Prince C. 

A typical lover am I, 

I'm woful and weary; 
I feel that the world is awry, 

I'm doleful and dreary. 
My life is enwrapped in a mist, 

No hope can I cherish ; 
I know not for what I exist, 

Nor care if I perish. 
Court P. 

He's got it pat, 

They're all like that, 
A regulation lover must be just like that. 

Court P. Well, as a lover you seem to be all 
right ; quite up to the conventional standard 1910 
model, with all modern improvements. But he 
loves best who loves last. Do you know you have 
rivals? 

[ 252 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Prince C. I feared so, sir. But I hoped I 
could prevail on you to exert a modicum of your 
all-powerful influence on my behalf, and so make 
my success certain beyond all doubt. 

Court P. (flattered). Ah — ha — hum — yes — a 
word from the wise is sufficient, as you seem to 
know. But what advantage will it be to me if I 
assist you? 

Prince G. Why, as the son-in-law of the King, 
I shall have it in my power to favor you in many 
ways, and I assure you I shall not forget to do 
so. 

Court P. Oh, I'll see to it that you don't for- 
get. I like your looks, young man, and you seem 
to appreciate the importance of my position. I 
believe I'll tell you the plan for the Princess' be- 
trothal, and then we'll see how we can further 
your interests. 

((7. P. looks carefully around to make sure 
they are not overheard, and then contines) : 

No one knows the plan but the King and my- 
self. It is not to be divulged until the contest be- 
gins. But if I tell you of it, will you promise to 
have me appointed Keeper of the Keys of the 

[ 253 ], 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Eoyal Cellar, as soon as you are in a position to 
do so? 

Prince G. I will. Now tell me this plan, for 
I must win the beautiful Princess. 

Court P. It is this: The King will ordain 
that three suitors may present themselves before 
the Princess and endeavor to win her favor, but 
on these conditions : Each may choose whether 
he will see her, speak to her, or touch her. Only 
one way may he choose. If he would speak to 
her, so be it; but he must then be blindfolded, 
and come not near to touch her in any way what- 
soever. If he would see her, no word may he 
speak and touch her not at all. If he choose to 
touch her, even so much as to clasp her hand, 
he may neither see her nor speak to her. Then, 
whoever by his chosen means wins the favor of 
the Princess, on him shall she be bestowed. 

Prince G. Only three applications are to be 
made? 

Gourt P. Only three. 

Prince G. And the Princess must accept one 
of them? 

Gourt P. She must. 

[ 254 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Prince G. You say there are other suitors? 

Court P. There are two others: Sir Solon 
Sage, an old man of great learning, and Count 
Plunks, a middle-aged person of immense wealth. 

Prince G. Ah, what chance do I have against 
such rivals? I have nothing to recommend me 
but youth and beauty. 

Gourt P. Don't disparage yourself. Good 
looks are rather to be chosen than great riches — 
and you may please the Princess best of all. 

Prince G. But I am not content to take the 
chance. I want to be sure of it. Can't you de- 
vise some plan by which her choice will be bound 
to fall upon me? 

Gourt P. Of course I can ! I can devise any 
number of such plans. The only trouble is to se- 
lect one of the myriad plans with which my brain 
is already teeming. As an example, what do you 
think of this? Suppose you personate the other 
suitors, and woo the Princess under each of the 
three conditions, appearing as Sir Solon Sage, 
Count Plunks, and finally as yourself. She's 
bound to accept one of the three, and in any case 
you're the winner. 

[255] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Prince C. But how can I personate these gen- 
tlemen. 

Court P. Easily enough. Neither the King 
nor the Princess have ever seen them, and you're 
only to disguise yourself first as a wise old man 
and then as a nabob. 

Prince C. But if she accepts me in either of 
those characters, how shall I explain? 

Court P. Oh, don't explain. Simply say that 
you assumed the name for private reasons. That 
will impress them with your importance. 

Prince C. But what about the two men? They 
won't consent to stay out of the affair. 

Court P. Leave them to me. In my little high- 
handed way I will effectually dispose of them. 

Prince G. So be it, then. I leave all the ar- 
rangements to you. But it doesn't seem quite 
right. 

Court P. Oh, don't worry about that. The 
course of true love is the route of all evil, and 
Policy is the best Honesty. But the King ap- 
proaches. Fly into yonder ante-room and wait 
there for me. 

{Exit Prince G.) 
[256] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

King. Sir Wiseacre Bigwig ! Where are you? 
I desire your support. 

Court P. Ay, sire; mental or physical? 

King. Both. Why do I have advisers and as- 
sistants if not to be of use to me in time of 
need? 

Court P. Most Gracious Majesty, your court- 
iers exist but to do your pleasure. For myself, 
I live only to guard and preserve your Majesty's 
health. 

King. Ah, that's why you drink it so often, I 
suppose. 

Court P. (blandly). Even so, sire. And, per- 
haps it would be safer for me to drink it now be- 
fore you proceed to the business of the day. 

King. You'll do nothing of the sort! If 
you're intrusted with the care of my Royal 
health, I do not wish you to be beside yourself 
while you're beside me. 

Court P. (suavely). Quite so. I agree. I side 
with you in all things. 

King (testily). Oh, how I am pestered with 
business. There's always something to be at- 

[257] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

tended to. What pretty piece of business have 
you got for me to-day? 

Court P. A very pretty piece of business. The 
Princess Luliana. 

Ki7ig ( softening a little) . Ah, my dear daugh- 
ter. And what about her? 

Court P. Has your Majesty forgotten? To- 
day the Princess Luliana comes of age, and must, 
according to the custom of this court, be be- 
trothed. 

King (regretfully). Betrothed? My little 
Luliana? It seems but yesterday she was a bonny 
babe, caressing her kitten and kissing her doll. 

Court P. Ay, sire; but Time has changed all 
that, and circumstances alter kisses. 

King, Well, what is the outlook? Are there 
any suitors for her hand? 

Court P. There are. To put it poetically, I 
can see three lovelorn swains wending their way 
up Lover's Lane. To put it prosaically, I adver- 
tised for sealed proposals, and I received three. 

King. From whom? 

Court P. (looking over letters.) From Sir 
Solon Sage, Count Plunks, and Prince Corydon. 

[258] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

King. Good names, all. I wonder which 
would make the best husband for my pretty Luli- 
ana? But I shall abide by the test I have 
chosen. 

Court P. Ay, it is a fair trial. Have you told 
the Princess the conditions? 

King. I informed her of my will, and she now 
awaits my summons hither. Let her be called. 

{Exit Court P.) 
{Enter Princess Luliana^ Godmamma and 

Chrous ad lib.) 
{Enter Court Physician from ante-room.) 



QUARTETTE AND CHORUS 

King, Court Physician^ Princess and Godmamma 

Princess. 

A happy maiden I, 

Contented with my life. 
Godmamma. 

You'll marry by and by 
And be a happy wife. 
[259 2 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

King. 

'Tis your betrothal day. 
Princess (petulantly). 

I'd rather single stay. 
Court P. 

And you must be plighted, 
Oodmamma. 

You should be delighted. 
Princess. 

I wish I could have my own way ! 
King. 

Indeed you can't, you foolish chit. 
Godmamma. 

To the way of the world you must submit. 
Court P. 

And you needn't try to get out of it 
For it is the way of the world. 



Chorus (ad lib.) 

Of course, of course, you foolish chit, 
To the way of the world you must submit. 
And you needn't try to get out of it, 
For it is the way of the world. 
[260] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Princess L. 

A happy maiden I, 

Heart-whole and fancy free. 
Godmamma. 

But Princess, by and by, 
Far happier you will be. 
King, 

You may be somebody's turtle dove, 
Princess (cynically). 

Till I'm cast aside like a worn-out glove. 
Court P. 

But your suitor's oblation, 
Godmamma. 

Wealth, wisdom and station. 
Princess. 

I wish I could marry for love. 

(Quartette and Chorus as before.) 

{Exit attendants.) 
{Exit Court Physician to ante-room.) 

Princess, Well, I don't minS seeing the speci- 
mens you have to offer me. Let them come in. 
I suppose I won't have to accept any of them un- 
less I can find one to please me. 

[261] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

King. Indeed, you loill accept one, Miss. Let 
me tell you that although my kingdom is large, 
the coffers are much depleted of late, and your 
dowry is, of necessity, small. Have a care. De- 
sirable husbands are not easily picked up, and 
very few rich and titled young men would be will- 
ing to marry you. 

Princess (flippantly). Very few would be 
enough. 

King. Cease such idle remarks. This is no 
time for jesting. 

{Enter Court Physician.) 

Godmamma. Be calm, your Koyal Highness; 
this is a trying ordeal for you, and I fear it will 
tell upon your nerves. 

Court P. Shall we not drink your health be- 
fore the trial begins? I have your Majesty's 
physical well-being in my care. 

King. What devotion to your profession ! 

Court P. Nay, Sire, 'tis but the profession of 
my devotion. 

King. Let the first suitor advance. 

[{Court Physicain admits Prince Corydon, 
[ 262 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

dressed as an old wise man. He is blindfolded 
and holds his hands clasped behind him.) 

Court Physician. Sire, Princess, this is Sir 
Solon Sage. He has chosen to tell his love to the 
Princess Luliana. 

Sir Solon Sage (bowing to vacancy, in several 
directions, and addressing the wall). Fair and 
noble Princess, I chose the privilege of speech 
with you, for I know that a love so deep and 
glowing as mine must lend additional and con- 
vincing eloquence to its own avowal. True, I am 
trammeled by my sightlessness, but Love itself 
is blind, and I need not see you to know you are 
beautiful beyond all comparison. Fairest one, 
loveliest mortal ever created, smile upon my 
suit. 

{Kneels before Court P.) 

Court P. (in stage whisper). You're making 
a mess of it. The Princess is across the room to 
your left. 

Sir S. Sage (crossing and standing in front of 
Godmamma). Pardon the blunders of a blind- 
folded lover. But now will I let my heart guide 

[ 263 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

me — speak, Princess, that I may know you are 
near me. 

Princess (roguishly leaning over toward God- 
mamma). I am here. 

Sir H. Sage (to Godmamma). Fairest of 
maidens — in the first flush of vouth, unversed in 
the lore of love, to you I address my lover^s plea. 

Princess (who has left her seat and crossed the 
room). I am over here, Count. 

Sir S. Sage. Ah, this confounded bandage. I 
am dizzy with turning round. 

Court P. (sings) : 

^Tis Love, ^tis Love, 
'Tis Love that makes the world go round. 

DUET 

Sir S. S. (holding out his arms). 

Princess, nearer come and nearest, 
Princess (going away from him). 

Just like this, oh, yes. 
Sir S. Sage. 

Are you gazing at me, dearest? 
[ 264 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Princess (turning her back to him). 

Just like this, oh, yes. 
Sir 8. Sage. 

When we're wed, your education 
I'll conduct by conversation ; 
You'll enjoy this relaxation? 
Princess (yawning and falling asleep )\ 
Just like this, oh, yes. 



Both. 

Naught of bliss 
Shall we miss. 
We'll be happy, just like this, 
As we go through life together, 
You and I. 
Sir S. Sage. 

To a little peccadillo. 
Princess (acting intoxicated)'. 
Just like this, oh, yes. 
Sir S. Sage. 

You'll be lenient, say you will, oh, 
■Princess (scowling and shaking fist)'.: 
Just like this, oh, yes. 
I265i]i 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Sir S. Sage. 

In our marital relation 
You will find your true vocation, 
And you'll give up all flirtation. 
Princess (throwing kisses and smiling at im- 
aginary admirers). 

Just like tliis, oh^ yes. 
Both (as he acts a little intoxicated and she 
berates him in dumb show). 

Naught of bliss 
Shall we miss. 
We'll be happy, just like this, 
As we go through life together, 
You and I. 

(Repeat Chorus ad lih., as he looks devoted 
and sure of her affection, while she dances about 
and flirts with imaginary others.) 



\ Exit Sir S. Sage. 



Princess. Well — I'll never be tied for life to 
a stupid old thing like that. 

King. But he seems to be very fond of you. 

[266] W 




PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Court P. 

A little Princess now and then 
Is relished by the wisest men. 

Princess (returning to her throne). I wonder 
what the next one will be like. 

{Enter Prince Cory don as a rich middle-aged 
man.) 

Court P. This is Count Plunks. 

( He has a bandage over his mouth. He gazes 
soulfully at the Princess.) 

Princess. Ah, he is graceful and good-looking, 
but he makes me quite fidgety, standing there like 
a statue. 

Prince C. (bows^ and advancing to the Prin- 
cess, kneels before her and woos her in dumb 
show). 

Princess (in answer to his gestures) . No — ^yes 
— I don't know — what do you mean? Oh, I for- 
got you can't speak. 

Godmamma (aside to Princess). Remember 
tiow rich he is, my dear. 

[ 267 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

King (aside to Princess). I think you'd bet- 
ter take him, Luliana. His rent roll must be im- 
mense. 

Court P. He is a fine fellow ; but words speak 
louder than actions. Let me help you, sir. 

Count Pinnies (looks at him as if deeply grate- 
ful; and as the Court Physician sings, Count 
Plunks' face expresses an entire agreement with 
the sentiment expressed, and with expression 
and gestures he seems to put words to the orches- 
tral bits marked *, which, however, have no vo- 
calized words.) 



DUET (OR gOLO?y 

Court Physician and Count Plunks.)] 

Court P. 
Shall I avow that your love for the maiden 
Is deep as the sea? 
Orchestra (on bass notes). 

*Deep as the sea, 
[268] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Court P. 
When she doth smile your fond heart is laden 
With jubilee? 

Orchestra (very staccato). 
*With jubilee. 

Court P. 
Shall I say that her voice is like silvery bells? 
Orchestra (tinkling). 

*Silvery bells. 

Court P. 
That its music your heart in an ecstasy swells? 
Orchestra (long swell). 

*Ecstasy swells. 

Court P. 
But should she dismiss you with final farewells? 
Orchestra (sad and distinct). 
*Pinal farewells. 

Court P. 
Upon your fond hopes would sound dolorous 
knells, 
Orchestra ( funeral knells ) . 
*Dolorous knells. 
[269] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Court P. 
Shall I avow that the future you proffer 
Is glad as the birds? 
Orchestra (with thrilling bird-notes)'. 
*Glad as the birds. 

Court P. 
Though you are only permitted to offer 
Songs without words? 
Full Orchestra (or Silence). 

* Songs without words. 

Court P. 
And now you are filled with a rapturous thrill, 
Orchestra (ecstatic tremolo). 
*Rapturous thrill. 

Court P. 
And now with emotion your hearths standing still 
Orchestra (pp. and staccato). 

*Heart's standing still. 

Court P. 
And now you'd break forth like a rippling rill, 
Orchestra (rippling runs). 
*Eippling rill. 
[270] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Court P. 
Or like a gay bobolink's twittering trill, 
Orchestra (like birds). 



^Twittering trill. 



(After the song, Count Plunks gazes idiotic- 
ally at the Princess, who cries out :) 

Princess. Take him away ! I couldn't marry 
a man who is forever casting sheep's-eyes at me. 

Godmamma. But I could see you caught 
his eye as soon as he entered the room. 

(Count Plunks nods his head vigorously.) 

Princess (peremptorily). Well, he won't do, 
anyhow ; take him away. 

(Count Plunks is dismissed and goes out, look- 
ing mournfully over his shoulder at the Prin- 
cess.) 

King. I wish you had accepted him, Luliana ; 
he seems to be exceedingly rich. 

Princess. I couldn't endure him! Why, he 
stared at me so affectionately he fairly made me 
blush. 

Court P. Ah, one touch of nature makes the 
[271] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

whole world blush. But you have yet another 
chance, Princess. 

Princess. And I hope he will prove more at- 
tractive than the others. Show him in. 

(Enter Prince Cory don. He is blindfolded and 
has a handage round his head, covering his 
mouth. ) 

Court P. This is Prince Corydon. He has 
chosen neither to see nor to speak to the Prin- 
cess, believing that if he may touch but her 
finger tips it will plead his cause more eloquently 
than word or look. 

Princess (petuantly). I can't even imagine 
what he looks like with all those draperies on 
his face. 

(The Prince has been standing motionless, in 
a dignified attitude, but, hearing her voice, he 
walks directly toward her and, with dramatic 
gesture, takes her hand. At his clasp, the Prin- 
cess' face assumes a pleased expression, and she 
lets her hand linger in his. Tearing off the 
bandage from his mouth, he courteously kisses 

[272] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

her hand which he holds, and then taking her 
other hand he holds both of hers in both of his 
own, and kisses both of her hands. The Princess 
becomes more and more pleased and beams on 
him, though, of course, he cannot see her. Then, 
disengaging one of his hands, he slips an arm 
around her, and the Princess nestles confidingly 
to his side. He lifts her arms and places them 
around his own neck, and then embraces and 
kisses her fervently. All this to sentimental mu- 
sic. The other characters watch the proceedings 
with interest and approval.) 

Princess. This is my chosen mate. I love him 
and he loves me. He has not said so in words, 
but I know and I'll say it for him — (to Prince) — 
I love you ! 

Prince C. Nods his head and smiles in a lover- 
like way. 

SOLO 
Princess Liiliana, 

My lover cannot speak. 
So I'll speak for both. 
I'm neither shy nor meek, 
And I'm nothing loth. 
[273] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

In this ecstatic hour 

I admit Love's magic power, 

For affection is a flower 

Of a sudden growth. 
The position is unique, 

But I'm nothing loth; 
My lover cannot speak, 

So I'll speak for both. 

How often it's the curse 

Of a married life, 
If a husband can't converse 

Like his charming wife? 
They will both sit dull and dumb, 
Feeling cross and looking glum, 
And this way of keeping mum 

Is with dangers rife. 
But no such fate I seek. 

I am nothing loth, 
If my husband cannot speak 

I will speak for both. 

Princess. And so, father, dear, if you please, 
I will speak for Prince Corydon and myself, and 
ask your consent to our betrothal. 

[274] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Prince C. ^(Nods affirmatively, and stands by 
the Princess, taking her hand.) 

King. Bless you, my children. 

{They embrace.) 

Court P. Come, come, osculation is the thief 
of time. Let us prepare the marriage settle- 
ments. 

King. But, since Prince Oorydon is now the 
accepted suitor of the Princess, the bandage may 
be removed from his eyes, and also he may be al- 
lovred to speak. 

Prince C. (removing bandage and bowing low 
to King). I thank you. Sire. (Then turning to 
the Princess). Oh, Queen of my heart, a life- 
time is all too short to contemplate your fair 
face. 

SOLO 

Prince Corydon. 

Light of my eyes, you're a goddess in dimity; 
Just to be near you is blessed proximity. 
Though it disturbs my avowed equanimity. 
Causes me many and turbulent sighs, 
[275] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Charming to me is your happy vivacity, 
Tinged with a winsome and merry audacity, 
Which you employ with a wondrous sagacity. 
Oh, you^re adorable, Light of my Eyes! 



And the felicity 
Of your simplicity! 
If a man miss it, he 

Misses a prize. 
Suitors all throng to you, 
Honors belong to you; 
I toss a song to you, 

Light of my Eyes ! 

Queen of my Heart, you^re a Princess Imperial, 
Yet with the grace of an angel ethereal ; 
Dowered by Nature, 'tis quite immaterial 

Whether or not you're indebted to art. 
Though you are coy and demure as a shepherdess. 
In your deep eyes glows the glance of a leopard- 
ess; 
To rouse your spirit is certainly jeopardous; 

Yet I would dare it, O Queen of my Heart! 
[276] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Fatal vicinity 
Of your divinity; 
When a man's in it he 

Cannot depart. 
Look not so terrified ; 
Say, would you care if I'd 
Make my words verified, 
Queen of my Heart? 
Love of my Life, if the times were Colonial, 
Or if we lived as in old days Baronial, 
I'd lead you captive in chains matrimonial, 

For I would win you in chivalrous strife. 
But, as it is, though I long for you yearningly, 
I choose my time and my manner discerningly; 
And if I woo you sincerely and burningly. 

Say, will you smile on me, Love of my Life? 
Grant opportunity, 
Then with impunity 
I'll propose unity — 

Ask you to wife! 
Oh, tell me that if I 
All your whims gratify, 
Our troth you'll ratify. 
Love of my Life! 
[277] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

DUET 

Prince Corydon and Princess Luliana. 

Never was a love like ours, 

Radiant as the tropic flowers, 

Sweet as any ring-dove's cooing, 
Tender as the South-wind's wooing. 
Never was a love like ours. 

Romeo and Juliet 

Loved each other fondly, yet 

There's was but a passing notion 
When compared to our devotion. 
Never was a love like ours. 

Dear, I love you — Dear, I love you. 

Ah! 

This old Earth has never seen 
Such a love as ours, I ween ; 
Love so powerful, so divine. 
As this love of yours and mine. 

Dear, I love you — Dear, I love you ! 
[278] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Orpheus and Eurydice 

Loved in their half-hearted way; 

But it was in puny fashion 

When compared with our deep passion. 
Never was a love like ours. 



Abelard and Heloise, 

And a hundred such as these, 

Claim that they Love's flames have kindled, 
But by ours, their claims have dwindled. 
Never was a love like ours. 

Dear, I love you — Dear, I love you. 
Ah! 

Never since the world began, 

Was there maid or was there man 

With a love so deep and true 

As this love of mine for you. 
Dear, I love you — Dear, I love you ! 

TRIO 

King, Qodmamma, Court Physician. 
[279] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

King. 

I can assure yoxij children, dear, 

A father's heart 'twill gratify 
This troth that you have plighted here 
Officially to ratify. 
Godmamma. 

May Fortune bless the happy pair, 
So youthful and so beautiful, 
The Princess so high-born and fair, 
The Prince so kind and dutiful. 
Court P. 
Now let the wedding marches play, 

Strike up with gay avidity ; 
For bravely Cupid's won the day 
(Assisted by cupidity,) 
King. 

Prince and Princess, glad and gay, 
Godmamma. 

Hail to your betrothal day; 
Court P. 

'Tis a merry time, forsooth. 
Life is fair to loving youth. 
Life is fair, 

Tra — la — la — 
[280] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

Life is gay, 

Tra — la — la — 
You are in the Primrose Way. 

Tra — la — la — 

(Enter Chorus ad lih.) 

Trio and Clioriis. 

Now the Princess has been plighted, 

To the loyer of her choice, 
And, of course, we're all delighted 

And, of course, we all rejoice. 
And to show appreciation 
Of the happy situation. 
We sincere congratulation, 

With enthusiasm voice. 

DUET 

Prince and Princess. 

Our thanks are due 
To each of you 
For the kindly words you bring us. 

r 281 ] 



PLEASANT DAY DIVERSIONS 

We hear with glee 
The melody 
Of the merry song you sing us. 

TEIO 

King^ Godmamma and Court P. and Chorus. 

Tra — la — loo, 

Fond and true, 
Loyers' hearts are beating. 

Tra — la — loo, 

Listen to 
Happy lovers greeting. 

QUINTET AND CHORUS. 

Sing, sing. 

And gaily fling 
Garlands of fair posies ; 

Weave, weave. 

And interleave 
Wreathesjof'rRymes and roses. 

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